PureCycle, IPL Schoeller Launch Food-Grade PP Container with 25% Recycled Content

According to company reports, PureCycle Technologies and IPL Schoeller have introduced a commercially produced polypropylene food container incorporating 25% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, marking what the companies describe as the first full-scale grocery food-contact packaging application using PureCycle’s PureFive® recycled polypropylene resin.

The new 24-ounce tubs and lids will be used by fermented foods producer Cleveland Kitchen and are expected to begin appearing on retail shelves across the United States later this month. The packaging enables the company to meet emerging recycled-content requirements in states including New Jersey and California while maintaining food-contact compliance.

The collaboration represents a significant milestone for advanced recycling in food packaging, demonstrating that recycled polypropylene can be incorporated into rigid food-contact containers at commercial scale without compromising product performance or regulatory requirements.

PureCycle’s PureFive® resin is produced using the company’s dissolution recycling process, which removes contaminants such as colours, odours, additives and other impurities commonly found in post-consumer polypropylene waste. The resulting recycled resin is GreenCircle Certified for recycled content and meets U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for a broad range of food-contact applications.

“Our fermented foods are living products. They deserve packaging that reflects the same commitment to health and the planet that our customers expect from what’s inside the container,” said Luke Visnic, Chief Product Officer at Cleveland Kitchen.

“Partnering with IPL Schoeller and PureCycle gives us a container with meaningful recycled content, full food-contact compliance, and a credible sustainability story. We’re proud to be ahead of the regulatory curve without compromising product quality.”

The launch comes as food manufacturers face increasing pressure from both regulators and retailers to incorporate recycled content into packaging. While several U.S. states have introduced minimum recycled-content mandates, major grocery retailers are also strengthening sustainability requirements for packaging supplied by consumer brands.

For IPL Schoeller, the project expands the company’s recycled plastics portfolio into North America’s food-contact packaging market. The company has extensive experience using post-consumer recycled materials across its European operations and identified PureCycle’s recycled polypropylene as a suitable solution for high-performance rigid packaging applications.

“This is a landmark moment for the IPL Schoeller team,” said Melissa Vettleson, Sustainability and Materials Engineer at IPL Schoeller. “We have been looking to incorporate recycled polypropylene into the right product in North America for several years. PureFive resin’s quality, clarity and performance made it the ideal solution.”

The partnership also supports IPL Schoeller’s broader sustainability strategy following the 2025 merger between IPL Global and Schoeller Allibert, creating a packaging manufacturer with 26 production facilities across North America, Europe and the United Kingdom.

PureCycle and IPL Schoeller plan to expand the use of PureFive® resin across additional rigid packaging products, targeting sectors including food, personal care and household consumer goods where demand for recycled-content packaging continues to grow.

“The packaging industry’s challenge has always been delivering recycled content without sacrificing food safety or shelf performance,” said Pete Dias, Senior Director of Market, Application and Product Development at PureCycle. “This launch demonstrates that food safety, regulatory compliance, product performance and sustainability can all be achieved simultaneously at commercial scale.”

The timing of the launch aligns with tightening regulatory requirements across North America. New Jersey’s Recycled Content Law, which came into effect in 2024, requires rigid plastic containers sold in the state to contain at least 10% post-consumer recycled content, increasing to 20% in 2027 when exemptions for food-contact packaging are scheduled to expire.

PureCycle recently received conditional approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection recognising PureFive® resin as qualifying recycled content under the legislation, providing manufacturers with a pathway to regulatory compliance.

Beyond state-level recycled-content mandates, extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation and packaging regulations are expanding across North America, increasing demand for high-quality recycled polymers suitable for food-contact applications.

By establishing a commercial supply chain for food-grade recycled polypropylene packaging, PureCycle and IPL Schoeller aim to provide consumer brands with scalable packaging solutions that address both regulatory requirements and corporate sustainability commitments.

Source: PureCycle

SUNSHINE Spotlight: PureCycle, IPL Schoeller and Cleveland Kitchen have commercialised one of the first food-contact polypropylene containers incorporating 25% advanced recycled PP, demonstrating the growing role of dissolution recycling in meeting recycled-content regulations for food packaging.