Press Releases August 26, 2026
[August 2026, Bangkok] – Union J. Plus (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (UJP), a leading polyolefins recycling company based in Thailand backed by Circulate Capital, announced today that its mechanical recycling process for post-consumer recycled (PCR) High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polypropylene (PP) has received a No Objection Letter (NOL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (FDA Recycle No. 451).
This regulatory clearance verifies that UJP’s recycling process delivers high-quality recycled material safe for specified food-contact applications, including dried-food containers, bottles, gallons, cosmetics, and packaging films.
Plastic collection is expanding across Southeast Asia, but rigid plastics like HDPE and PP coming from, for example, milk bottles, food containers are typically downcycled into lower-value industrial applications due to strict food safety requirements. While food-grade recycled polyolefins match virgin plastic in quality, global supply remains scarce due to fragmented collection infrastructure and lack of advanced decontamination technologies. UJP’s technical achievement contributes to bridge this gap. The company currently operates with a processing capacity of 5,000 TPA of food-grade recycled HDPE and PP, in addition to its 7,200 TPA of high quality PCR LDPE and LLDPE.
We are delighted to reach this major breakthrough for our company and the region,” said Ms. Chutikan Chaisiripaibool, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer of Union J. Plus. “Securing this FDA milestone is a crucial step in our mission to advance Southeast Asia’s circular plastics landscape. Together with our industry partners and Circulate Capital, we are ready to accelerate our growth, unlock greater value from recycled resources, and create lasting environmental and business value across global supply chains.”
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment as global policies, such as the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates across Southeast Asia, drive demand for high-quality recycled content. By building localized circular capacity, UJP provides brand owners with a structural hedge against material volatility while delivering the compliance assurance needed for high-value food-contact packaging.
Highlighting the strategic value of the achievement, Dr. Sirinchayaa Preechapatsakool, Senior Investment Manager at Circulate Capital, added: “Having worked closely with UJP since our investment in 2023, I have seen firsthand their commitment to advancing technical capabilities for higher-value applications. Circulate Capital is proud to back UJP with both capital and strategic support as they scale regional circular capacity.”
