Clariant has reached an important regulatory milestone by obtaining European Commission approval for renewable rice bran wax-based additives used in plastics intended for food contact. This decision is based on the positive safety assessment issued by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA and was published as Regulation (EU) 2026/245 amending Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on 2 February 2026. The approval positions the Licocare RBW product line as a solution compliant with legal requirements for applications in the plastics sector intended for food contact on the European market, while also taking into account aspects of sustainability.
The scope of the European Commission approval, based on the EFSA opinion, covers the Licocare RBW 100-300 series, including Licocare RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita. Their use has been authorized as additives at levels up to 0.3% in polyethylene terephthalate PET, polylactic acid PLA and rigid polyvinyl chloride PVC intended for contact with non-fatty foods. The decision covers applications at room temperature and below, as well as hot-fill processes and heating up to 100°C for a maximum of two hours, which corresponds to a wide range of needs in the food packaging sector.
The European authorization is a key element of Clariant's global regulatory strategy in the segment of rice bran wax-based additives. The approval in the European Union complements existing food contact authorizations issued by the US Food and Drug Administration FDA and the Japanese food safety authorities. As a result, manufacturers receive an additive solution that has broad regulatory recognition in major global markets, which facilitates the placing of plastic products on the market in different jurisdictions using a single additive family.
With the amendment entering into force on 23 February 2026, the European plastics processing industry can incorporate Licocare RBW additives into its formulations while maintaining compliance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. This applies both to producers of primary packaging and to suppliers of components or semi-finished products in which rice bran wax-based additives fulfil processing and performance functions.
Significance of the decision for Clariant's product strategy
The approval obtained in the European Union is interpreted by Clariant as confirmation of its long-term approach to the development of additives based on renewable raw materials. The company underlines that the safety assessment process and the regulatory procedure required many years of preparation, including composition characterization, evaluation of migration into food and analysis of consumer exposure. As stated by Diederik Goyvaerts, Segment Manager Additives at Clariant: "Achieving the European Commission approval, which is based on the EFSA recommendation, for our Licocare rice bran wax additives is the result of many years of focused work and shows Clariant's commitment to delivering sustainable solutions that meet the highest regulatory standards. This authorization opens significant opportunities for European manufacturers looking to switch to renewable alternatives while maintaining full compliance with food safety regulations. It is a testament to the quality and safety of our bio-based innovations."
In practice, this means that Clariant can offer the Licocare RBW series as a globally consistent additive platform whose regulatory status covers key world regions. This is particularly important for international producers of packaging and plastic products who seek to harmonize formulations and supply chains in different countries, reducing the need to design separate additive systems for individual markets.
Alternative to montan waxes and market context
The timing of the approval for rice bran wax-based additives is significant against the backdrop of the current situation in the traditional montan wax segment. Montan waxes, obtained from lignite deposits, face structural supply constraints due to active depletion of key deposits in Germany. Manufacturers are experiencing supply disruptions and a steady rise in prices, which increases the pressure to seek reliable and predictable raw material alternatives.
Clariant's rice bran wax-based additives do not compete with the food market, as they use side streams from rice processing. They provide a solution with comparable functional parameters to many applications of montan waxes while eliminating dependence on fossil resources of limited availability. From the perspective of additive manufacturers and plastics processors, this shift enables better management of supply risk and reduced exposure to price volatility of raw materials linked to lignite mining.
Clariant achieves EU Commission approval for renewable rice bran wax additives in food-contact plastics. (Photo: AI-generated, Clariant)
Functional properties and environmental aspects
Licocare RBW Vita products, representing Clariant's line of bio-based additives, offer a range of properties important for both processing operations and the performance of the final article. These products are biodegradable and industrially compostable, which supports the implementation of sustainability strategies in the plastic packaging segment. In the context of the packaging life cycle, this can potentially support objectives related to end-of-life management, including circular economy systems.
The production process for rice bran wax-based additives does not involve the landscape transformation and biodiversity pressure characteristic of lignite mining. According to Clariant, the use of these additives can contribute to significant Scope 3 emissions reductions in customers' value chains, which is important for companies reporting carbon footprints and pursuing climate targets.
From the perspective of plastics processors, additives from the Licocare RBW line provide the required processing benefits. These include effective internal and external lubrication, facilitation of demoulding, nucleation effects and improved dispersion of components in the polymer blend. Typical application areas include beverage bottles, food containers and protective packaging, where stable processing parameters and consistent performance characteristics are of key importance.
Relevance for the European plastic packaging market
The completion of global regulatory authorizations with the European Commission decision closes the legal framework for the Licocare RBW line in major world regions. The combination of EFSA acceptance, FDA approvals and decisions of the Japanese food safety authorities enables Clariant to act as a partner for manufacturers seeking additives that are both regulatory-compliant and based on renewable raw materials.
As the food packaging sector accelerates its transition towards renewable materials and circular economy models, EFSA-approved rice bran wax additives offer manufacturers the possibility to combine environmental objectives with regulatory requirements. Thanks to clearly defined conditions of use, including polymer types (PET, PLA, rigid PVC), maximum additive levels (0.3%) and food contact profile (non-fatty products, specified temperature and time ranges), processors can design formulations that meet food safety criteria while taking advantage of the benefits of bio-based additives.
In the medium- and long-term perspective, the European Commission decision may support further substitution of conventional montan waxes in packaging applications and the development of an additive portfolio based on agricultural side streams. This is part of a broader trend in the plastics industry towards increasing the share of renewable raw materials and minimizing environmental impact while maintaining functionality and safety in use of plastic products.
