Substantiating Post Consumer Recycled Content Declarations under European Rules
European post-consumer recycled claims depend on matching certified mill scope lines directly to batch delivery notes and mass balance allocation ledgers.
Packaging Migration Report
Analytical Documentation
Regulatory compliance documents detail chemical transfer testing between packaging substrates and food simulants under controlled temperature conditions. A packaging migration report provides certified proof that primary board packaging meets legal safety thresholds for food contact under European Regulation EC 1935/2004 or US FDA directives. Testing laboratories submerge board samples in simulants such as ten percent ethanol, three percent acetic acid, or vegetable oil to measure overall and specific substance migration levels.
Substrate Testing
Testing protocols evaluate both overall migration limits and specific migration limits for substances like photoinitiators, plasticizers, printing ink residues, and mineral oils. A detailed packaging migration report lists quantitative gas chromatography and mass spectrometry findings against maximum allowable chemical exposure limits. Recycled paperboard packaging requires rigorous testing due to potential mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons originating from recovered printing inks.
Functional barrier coatings like polyethylene or dispersion barriers are evaluated for barrier integrity over defined shelf-life durations. Non-compliant migration results require converters to reformulate ink systems, apply thicker barrier coatings, adjust curing settings, or substitute virgin fiber board stocks.
Compliance Certification
Documented migration data protects brand owners from product contamination risks and regulatory enforcement actions. Audit teams verify laboratory accreditation and test parameters before approving materials for food packaging lines. Completing a packaging migration report verifies product safety before commercial distribution begins.