INEOS Styrolution launches recycled polystyrene yoghurt cups

INEOS Styrolution, a global leader in styrenics, has successfully completed its first project involving mechanically recycled polystyrene in yoghurt cups. This achievement was made possible through collaboration with multiple partners along the value chain.

A key aspect of the process is INEOS Styrolution’s “super clean process,” a technology registered under EU regulation 2022/1616. This innovative process ensures food-grade quality recyclates, previously only achievable with PET bottle recycling.

The recycled polystyrene maintains the same physical properties as conventionally produced material, creating a seamless circular solution. Comprehensive quality checks were conducted on both the material and the yoghurt cups. The novel technology is also undergoing detailed analysis for EFSA evaluation. Additionally, the environmental impact of the recycled material is significantly lower than traditional alternatives.

In spring 2024, a consumer test was conducted in collaboration with Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller, a leading German dairy producer. Hundreds of yoghurt cups made from recycled polystyrene were distributed to volunteers in an INEOS canteen for evaluation. The results showed that 90% of testers were willing to purchase the product. They also expressed openness to recycled cups having a different colour, moving away from the traditional plain white design.