UFlex Secures USFDA Approval for Recycled PE in Food Packaging, Pioneering Sustainability in the Industry

Published: 19 Mar 2025

Author: Precedence Research

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UFlex Ltd., a company from India, received approval from the US FDA for the recycling of polyethylene (PE) for food applications. It becomes the first Indian company in this aspect and adds to its strength as a pioneer in sustainable packaging solutions. UFlex has implemented this super-clean recycling process that can remove over 95% of ink from post-consumer recycled materials and comply with global sustainability initiatives.

USFDA approval also proves the robustness of UFlex's recycling process because the highest safety and quality standards apply to recycled polyethylene concerning direct food contact applications. UFlex invests INR 317 crores (38 million USD) in state-of-the-art recycling technology by constructing two fresh recycling plants in Noida, India, processing 39,600 metric tons of plastic waste every year.

Industry Impact and Compliance with EPR Regulations

Being a leader in the field of flexible packaging worldwide, and one of the forerunners in the field, UFlex makes extensive investments to improve recycling capacities in keeping in line with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law which the Indian Government set. This will enable brand owners to create compliance with their EPR mandates and thus give a competitive edge to the international practice concerning sustainable packaging. UFlex has developed a recycling innovation that conceives a scalable and economically feasible model for the global level but with a lesser reliance on virgin plastics. The company initiated its journey to innovation and sustainability almost three decades ago by identifying the recycling potential of multilayered plastic waste. This is one vision that allows UFlex to be at the forefront of innovative solutions that bring to life post-consumer waste to recycled material of high purity, and food-safe quality to reestablish new standards for the industry.

Expanding Recycling Capabilities to Other Materials

UFlex has become the first among other flexible packaging companies to bring forward recycling measures for food contact polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). It is in the process of certification for these recycled polymers by the company. No specific regulations have yet been introduced on the use of such recycled polyethylene for food packaging. But UFlex is currently working with industry stakeholders and government bodies to lay down guidelines to ensure the safety of food products while remaining sustainable. The company has also installed recycling plants in India, Poland, Egypt, and Mexico, which collectively process a variety of waste materials, starting from multi-layer mixed plastics (MLP), aseptic packaging, up to PET waste. Flexibility MLP and post-consumer recycled applications are also underway globally by UFlex enabling it to contribute to the global environmental goals while meeting increasing demands for packaging solutions with lesser eco-footprint.

The Future of Sustainable Packaging

UFlex has recently gotten approval from the USFDA, thus heralding another milestone journey toward sustainable packaging solutions. As global regulatory environments worsen and consumers throng for more environmentally friendly options, UFlex and other companies have taken strides toward having recycled plastics as a compulsion in innovation and application in packaging. It will be a simply applicable and simple solution to the reduction of plastic waste regarding international food safety standards. Thus, the company's commitment to a circular economy increases the reputation of UFlex as the inventor in the global flexible packaging industry, thus defining the future of sustainable packaging and setting new benchmarks in the industry.