Food-Grade Recycled Material Development

Versalis, the chemical division of Italian energy company Eni, has introduced recycled polystyrene products suitable for food-contact packaging applications. These material grades incorporate mechanically processed resins from their “Revive” product line, meeting EU regulatory standards for food contact through specialized purification methods developed in collaboration with Eternplast, an industrial-scale polymer recycler based in Lograto, Italy. The recycled polystyrene is currently utilized in yogurt containers, fish/meat trays, and various expanded and solid packaging formats.

Material Processing Fundamentals

At the polystyrene recycling systems, EPS Compactors serve as the basic volume-reduction equipment. These machines perform the function of densifying expanded polystyrene waste into compact blocks, achieving significant space optimization for storage and transportation. The compressed material forms the basis for subsequent reprocessing, where it combines with virgin material at controlled ratios to produce uniform plastic pellets.

Secondary Product Manufacturing

Beyond food packaging applications, processed polystyrene finds reuse in consumer goods such as photo frames and decorative moldings. The production methodology differs from food-grade applications but shares the common preliminary step of material compaction. Manufacturers employ these recycled pellets with conventional molding equipment to create finished products with various designs and functional characteristics.

Industry Implementation

Recycling operators increasingly incorporate EPS Compactors into their operations to establish stable material recovery systems. The technology addresses fundamental logistical challenges by transforming bulky foam waste into manageable blocks prior to pelletization.

Operational Advantages

The adoption of EPS Compactors provides measurable benefits throughout the recycling chain. By reducing material volume at the collection stage, these systems lower transportation costs and storage requirements while preparing waste streams for downstream processing. Italian recyclers have demonstrated the practicality of this approach through successful integration with existing manufacturing infrastructure for both food and non-food applications.

Quality Assurance Practices

By establishing a complete set of quality control standards from raw material sorting, compression processing to regeneration granulation, combined with advanced material traceability technology, we ensure that recycled polystyrene products meet strict food safety and physical performance requirements. This systematic quality management provides technical support for recycled materials to enter high-end application fields.

We hereby recommend the Qinfeng CF-HM 400 hot-melt compactor machine and the polystyrene waste recycling granulation production line(Pelletizing Line). The CF-HM400 hot-melt compaction machine adopts a four-axis crushing blade system. Through the design of double-row parallel knife shafts arranged in a staggered manner, the material is uniformly cut into small pieces during the crushing process, improving the subsequent melting efficiency. This equipment is equipped with a 22KW main motor and a 10KW zone heating system, ensuring stable operation even at high-temperature melting conditions. It is suitable for the recycling of various foaming materials such as EPS, EPP, and EPE. When working in conjunction with the granulator, it can not only reduce volume but also efficiently granulate, providing seamless connection and improved efficiency. It is an ideal choice for industries such as resource recycling, chemical engineering, and pharmaceuticals, helping customers achieve efficient and environmentally friendly material management.