Ineos Styrolution introduces bio-attributed, recycled polystyrene for food packaging

GERMANY – Ineos Styrolution has introduced its innovative Styrolution PS 158K BC100, a 100% bio-attributed polystyrene designed for food packaging. 

According to the company, this material, now available in Japan through a partnership with a major retail franchise, marks a breakthrough in eco-friendly food packaging solutions. 

Food trays made from this bio-based polystyrene have been gracing Japanese shelves since early 2025, offering a sustainable alternative without compromising quality.

Marcela Villegas, Vice President of Business Management APAC at Ineos Styrolution, stated, “We are thrilled to mark this milestone in integrating bio-attributed materials into everyday life.” 

“It shows sustainability can be achieved while meeting regulatory standards, ensuring businesses progress toward environmental goals without sacrificing quality or safety.” 

The material, crafted using an ISCC-certified mass balance approach, achieves a remarkable 172% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional fossil-based polystyrene. 

It complies with global food safety standards, including the Japanese Food Sanitation Act, and has earned an A-level certification from the Japan Chemical Innovation and Inspection Institute (JCII).

In parallel, Ineos Styrolution has advanced its mechanically recycled polystyrene, achieving food-contact quality previously limited to PET recyclates. 

A report by the company highlights its “super clean process,” registered as a novel technology under EU regulation 2022/1616. 

This multi-step process, involving deep NIR sorting, hot washing, flake sorting, melt filtration, and pelletizing, produces recycled polystyrene with properties identical to virgin material. 

Dr. Frank Eisenträger, Environmental Control Officer at Ineos Styrolution, said, “Polystyrene has arrived in the champions league of recycled food contact materials, enabling producers to meet the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requirements.” 

Lena Lembach of Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller added, “This is a milestone achievement toward perfect circularity for polystyrene cups and our CO2 reduction targets.”

A recent consumer test conducted with Theo Müller in spring 2024 revealed strong acceptance, with 90% of volunteers willing to purchase yogurt cups made from this recycled material, appreciating its unique color variations. 

These cups hit Lidl supermarket shelves in early 2025. In a statement, the company noted that the recycled material’s significantly lower environmental footprint aligns with global sustainability goals.

A new facility in Krefeld, Germany, opened in 2023 in collaboration with TOMRA and EGN Entsorgungsgesellschaft Niederrhein, aims to process 40,000 tonnes of post-consumer polystyrene annually for food packaging, further supporting the circular economy.

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