1. Home
  2. The Project

The Project

CosPaTox has engaged scientific experts in the field of post-consumer packaging waste recycling in order to implement a focused working programme in cooperation with industry specialists from member companies.

Our partners are:

The CosPaTox Project is organized in six working packages to determine the minimal requirements for the application of PCR–recycling materials in plastic packaging.

 WP 1: Project Management (Consortia Management, Steering Committee, Chair)

WP lead: Consortia Management

Tasks:

  • Regular meetings of the working groups according to the demand of each WP and WP leader
  • Administration of the technical part as well as the general administration and management of the project
  • Coordination of the partners and consortium concerning samples and data/information
  • Anonymization of data/informaiton

Details:

  • The Steering Committee consists of one delegate per Core Member
  • The CosPaTox Consortium hired Michael Scriba as Chairman
 WP 2: State of the art assessement of collect., sort., recycl. structures

WP lead: FH Campus Wien

Tasks:

  • Assess material flows and where recycling materials are already used or included as packaging material within the EU
  • Characterisation and description of input/output recycling streams and contaminants
  • Collection of data from recycling companies and determination of requirements
  • Literature study and input of members
    • dentify possible contaminants (guidance list of discloseable substances)
    • Recycling technologies

Details:

  • The current market situation will be assessed to gain information on the different products, where recycling material can be/has been used
  • Input from consortium members and information on the content of the „Gelbe Sack“
  • Recycling companies share data concerning material flows and amount of non compliant material
  • The partners share any possible contaminants and substances of risk. This will be compared to the guidance list by Cosmetics Europe
  • Recycling companies share their methods used, to evaluate the different process steps and their efficiency
 WP 3: TTC Application & Worst case calculation

WP 3.1: TTC Application

WP lead: Industry partners supported by FH Campus Wien

Tasks:

  • Determine how the TTC can be applied for cleaning and cosmetic packaging for a first toxicological evaluation
  • Provide a basic substance list ; suggest candidate substances for monitoring
  • Define safe thresholds for substances on the list

Details:

  • The TTC will be integrated for a first evaluation of the concept and assessed together with the obtained substance list
  • From the information obtained in WP 2 specific calculations can be made on substances of interest

WP 3.2: Worst case calculation

WP lead: Industry partners supported by Fraunhofer IVV

Tasks:

  • Calculate worst case migration scenarios and assess the possible migration of:
    • DNA reactive substances
    • Other CMR substances
    • Skin sensitizer
  • Different applications: rinse off, leave on, cleaning products
  • Use exposure scenarios to determine the risk towards the consumer

Details:

  • Migration simulation software will be used to analyse different scenarios
  • The plastics of most interest (HDPE, PP, PET,…) will be used for estimations with different scenarios (rinse off, leave on)
  • Consortium input on use cases
 WP 4: Migration testing, chemical analysis and bioassays

WP lead: Industry partners supported by Fraunhofer IVV

Tasks:

  • Develop/adapt migration testing and possible simulants
  • Chemical and bioassay analysis of input material of recycling processes to assess worst case scenarios
  • Characterisation of input/output streams
  • Test polymer recycling material in chemical analysis and bioassays using sample preparation protocols and the Ames test ~30 samples can be tested
  • Analysis of sensory effects of PCR products

Details:

  • Migration testing will be done with simulants of interest to reflect the properties of the cosmetic product (determine diffusion coefficients)
  • Input and output streams will be analysed to gain knowledge on the characteristics and toxicological profile of the different process steps (multi recycling steps). Determine efficiency of process steps in regard to genotoxicity
  • The Ames MPF™ test will be used to test migrates from input and output streams
  • Sensory analysis of packaging products and analysis of volatile substances
 WP 5: Development of a test strategy and industry guidline

WP lead: Industry partners and external professionals

Tasks:

  • Test strategy for assessment of samples from recycling materials
  • Industry guideline including recommendations for the assessment of a packaging product (input from the consortium!)
  • Specific design for recycling guidelines
    • Minimal standards for recyclates

Details:

  • The consortium will give input on the minimal requirements for recycled materials for cosmetic and cleaning products
  • Recommendations will be designed to be published based on the project results
  • An initial draft will be drawn in a small group, but input will be welcome from everybody!
 WP 6: Dissemination and communication

WP lead: Consortia Management and external professionals

Tasks:

  • Write peer reviewed publications
  • Communication of the project, its goals and achievements
  • Information to the consortium and its members on break through results

Image of