KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2988:2023  
ICS 13.030.50  
First  Edition  
 
 © KEBS 2023  
 Mechanical recycling of PET into food -
grade recycled PET  
 
 DKS 2988:2023  
ii © KEBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
The Coca -Cola Company  
Danone Waters  
Nestlé Waters  
PepsiCo  
Institute of packaging professionals Kenya   
The Packaging Producer Responsibility Organization  
Consumer Information Network Association  
Kenya Association of Manufactures  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions for 
improvements to publis hed standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome.  
© Kenya Bureau of Standards  2023 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright su bsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in w riting from the 
Managing Director.   KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2988:2023  
ICS 13.030.50  
First  Edition  
 
© KEBS 202 3 – All rights reserved  iii 
  
Mechanical recycling of PET into food -grade 
recycled PET  
 
 
  Kenya Bureau of Standards,  Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722202137, + 254 734600471  
 info@kebs.org  
 @KEBS_ke  
 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
DKS 2988:2023  
iv © KEBS 2023 – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
This draft Kenya Standard was prepared by the Plastics and Plastic Products Technical Committee under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance wit h the procedures of the Kenya Bureau 
of Standards.  
Food -grade recycled PET (rPET) refers to PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) that has undergone a recycling 
process and meets the specific safety and quality standards required for use in food packaging and c ontact with 
food and beverages . 
PET is a widely used polymer in the packaging industry due to its excellent properties such as clarity, strength 
and barrier properties. However, the extensive use of PET has resulted in significant environmental concerns 
regarding plastic waste. To mitigate this issue, the recycling of PET has gained considerable attention as an 
effective solution.  
This standard stipulates the mechanical recycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate into food grade recycled PET, 
which aims to addr ess the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging solution.  
 KENYA STANDARD  DKS 2988:2023  
 
© KEBS 202 3– All rights reserved  1 
 Mechanical recycling of PET into food -grade recycled PET  
 
1 Scope   
This draft Kenya standard pertains to the mechanical recycling process operation of transforming post -
consumer PET bottles and containers into food -grade recycled PET resins suitable for bottling or packing.  
This standard does not apply to  
a) Mecha nical recycling process operation of transforming non post -consumer PET bottles and containers 
such as post -industrial/pre -consumer PET items ; and  
b) The acceptance criteria for using food -grade recycled PET resinous material in bottling or packing 
operati ons. 
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated 
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
KS ISO 13302 , Sensory analysis — Methods for assessing modifications to the flavour of foodstuffs due to 
packaging  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
PET – poly(ethylene terephthalate ), CAS 25038 -59-9 
plastic resin formed by polycondensation reaction of ethylene glycol with either terephthalic acid or dimethyl 
terephthalate  
3.2 
virgin PET (vPET)  
PET resin formed by polycondensation reaction of the following starting monomers: a) ethylene glycol derived 
from ethylene and b) terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate derived from para -xylene  
3.3 
post -consumer PE T 
aggregate of used PET bottles and containers collected from consumers and separated from non -PET bottles 
and containers, It includes material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional 
facilities in their role as end -users of the product. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain  
3.4 
PET flakes  
aggregate of fragments from grinding and washing of post -consumer PET  
3.5 
Recycled PET (rPET)  
PET resin made with some percentage of post -consumer PET bottles and c ontainers  DKS 2988:2023  
2 © KEBS:202 3 – All rights reserved  
 3.6 
food -grade recycled PET (FG rPET)  
recycled PET resin that has undergone a validated decontamination process in order to achieve suitable purity 
for directly holding food or beverages  
3.7 
pre-consumer PET  
generated by industry that has not be en converted into finished products or being supplied to consumers  
4 Recycling processes  
4.1 Preparatory Process  
The process of identification, sorting, granulation of bottles and closures which then become a feed stock of 
processing.  
4.2 Conventional rec ycling process  
4.2.1  A mechanical recycling operation where PET Flakes are washed, melted, extruded, and pelletized 
without a process step to remove contaminants.  
4.2.2  The resultant material from this process is not fit to come into contact with food.  
4.3 Super -clean recycling process  
4.3.1  A Conventional recycling process enhanced with an integrated decontamination step to remove 
absorbed contaminants through a combination of surface treatment, high heat, and/or high vacuum in a 
controlled environment suc h that the output can be used for food contact  
4.3.2  Further processing of the material produced in clause 4. 2 is the then enhanced with integrated 
decontamination step to remove both surface as well absorbed contaminants through a combination of surface 
treatments, heat, vacuum in a controlled environment such as the output is safe for food contact  
5 Testing  
5.1 Challenge test  
A validation test in which virgin PET is exposed to a mixture of surrogate chemicals of different molecular weight 
and polarity at  exaggerated levels, processed through the entire recycling process, and analyzed quantitatively 
for the residual concentrations.  
5.2 Extraction test 
A quantitative analysis on the substances present in the PET (virgin, rPET, or FG rPET) in any form (films , 
sheets, bottles, preforms, flakes, or pellets) . 
5.3 Migration test  
A quantitative analysis on the substances migrating from the PET containers into the beverage (or food 
simulants) . 
6 Supply chain documentation  
6.1 Declaration of compliance  DKS 2988:2023  
© KEBS 202 3 – All rights reserved  3 
 A statement issued by the business operator declaring how the product offered for sale is compliant with an 
established and/or applicable food contact regulatory standard . 
6.2 Regulatory opinion  
An opinion letter issued by a recognized, competent regulatory  authority i.e Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) 
and Pharmacy and poison board (PPB) addressing the capability of a given process or operation to recycle PET 
Flakes into Food -Grade rPET based on an accepted regulatory threshold protective of public health  
7 Requirements  
The following requirements pertain to the operation of a super -clean mechanical recycling process:  
7.1  Process Input  
7.1.1   The process input shall be sourced in accordance with an established set of specifications. Such 
specifications shall  include the minimum quality standard on foodgrade PET Flakes.  
7.1.2  Input materials shall be controlled based on process validation criteria as identified by performance of 
the challenge test.  
7.2  Process validation  
7.2.1  The recycling process shall have at least one decontamination step capable of removing contaminants 
to a level of purity suitable for food contact. The decontamination capability shall be validated with a challenge 
test. Experimental data of the challenge test shall be reviewed by a recognized competent authority. Only 
recycling processes that have been affirmed to be effective shall be regarded as super -clean . 
7.2.2  The level of decontamination shall be below the 220 µg/kg limit in the resin for each surro gate 
contaminant by an extraction test, or below the 10 µg/kg limit in the beverage or food simulant for each surrogate 
contaminant by a migration test.  
7.3  Process output  
7.3.1  The process output shall be subject to a monitoring program that ensures the continuity of FG rPET 
quality over time.  
7.3.2  The program shall include a chemical analysis by the process operator. The chemical analysis shall 
include either an extraction tes t on the FG rPET output or a migration test on the beverage bottles or food 
containers made with the FG rPET. The FG rPET shall conform with the regulatory requirements for virgin PET.  
7.3.3  The sensory analysis shall be conducted in accordance with ISO 13 302 or KS ISO 13302  
7.4 Process operation  
7.4.1  The recycling process shall operate under the principles of Good Manufacturing Practices ( KEBS),  
including the application of a quality assurance program.  
7.4.2  Critical quality parameters shall be defined ( KEBS)  and used for the release of each batch to 
demonstrate the effectiveness of the decontamination process.  
7.4.3  Supply chain records and quality assurance data shall be maintained to support product traceability and 
safety compliance and the responsibi lity lies with the importer/converter.  DKS 2988:2023  
4 © KEBS:202 3 – All rights reserved  
 8 Documentation  
Super -clean recycling process shall provide and maintain documents as follows:  
8.1 Supply chain communication  
 Operator of a super -clean recycling process shall provide converters, beverage bottlers, a nd/or food packers 
the following:  
a) a declaration of compliance on the FG rPET product, and  
b) a regulatory opinion on the process of making the FG rPET product.  
8.2 Supporting documents  
Operator of a super -clean recycling process shall provide supply chain records on product traceability and 
quality assurance data on safety compliance to the inspecting authority . DKS 2988:2023  
© KEBS 202 3 – All rights reserved  5 
 Bibliography  
[1] United States Food and Drug Administration, Guidance for Industry: Use of Recycled Plastics in Food 
Packaging – Chemistry Considerations (2006)  
[2] Health Canada, Guidelines for Determining the Acceptability and Use of Recycled Plastics in Food 
Packaging Applications (2011)  
[3] Japan Ministry of Health and Labor, Guidelin es for the Use of Recycled Plastic Materials for use in food 
containers and packaging  
[4] KS 2360 :2012 , Positive list of constituents of polyalkylene tetrephthalates (pet and pbt) for their safe use 
in contact with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water  
[5] European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Opinion On The Criteria To Be Used For Safety Evaluation Of 
A Mechanical Recycling Process To Produce Recycled PET Intended To Be Used For Manufacture Of Materials 
And Articles In Contact With Food (2011 ) https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/2184  
[6] MERCOSUR, Reglamento Técnico Mercosur Sobre Envases De Polietilentereftalato (PET) Postconsumo 
Reciclado Grado Alimentario (PET -PCR Grado Alimentario) Destinados A Estar En Contacto Con Alimentos 
(2007) https://normas.mercosur.int/simfiles/normativas/5274_RES_030 -2007_ES_PET -PCR.pdf  
[7] Secretaria de Conomia de Mexico, Industria Del Plástico -Polietileno Tereftalato Reciclado Utilizado Para 
Envases De Alimentos Y Bebidas -Especificaciones Y Métodos De P rueba (2016), 
http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5473070&fecha=27/02/2017  
 
 
 KS 2988:2023    
 
© KEBS 2023 – All rights reserved