Conveyor Belts

Description: Conveyor belts are widely used to transfer food and beverage products at various stages of processing and production. Belt material selection is usually determined by cost, cleaning needs, oil and water repellency, and heat exposure.

Potential concern: Chemicals of concern may migrate from the food contact surface of some conveyor belts into the food product, depending on the material used.

Solution Focus: The "face" of conveyor belts is its food contact surface. Choose facing materials that have fewer chemical additives of concern, are not treated with non-stick or anti-microbial coatings or varnishes, and pose fewer toxic hazards over the lifecycle of the material. For sustainability, opt for materials that are recyclable or compostable.

PREFER: Stainless Steel - Uncoated

Stainless steel conveyor belts are durable, impervious, easy to clean, and will not crack, fray, or chip like plastic conveyor belts. While upfront costs may be high, stainless steel is more economical over its life cycle and free from chemical migration concerns. Be sure to select uncoated stainless steel, as some coating chemistries pose toxic hazards across their lifecycle.

Suppliers:
Find a list of known suppliers of uncoated stainless steel belts here.

PREFER: Cotton - Uncoated

USE (but seek alternative): Nylon or Cotton/Nylon Blends - Uncoated

USE (but seek alternative): Polyolefins

USE (but seek alternative): Polyester

USE (but seek alternative): Silicone Rubber - Uncoated

PHASE OUT: Nitrile Rubber

PHASE OUT: Synthetic Rubber with Non-phthalate Plasticizers

PHASE OUT: Polyurethane

PHASE OUT: Vinyl with Non-phthalate Plasticizers

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) is one of the most popular conveyor belt materials. However, vinyl poses toxic hazards across its lifecycle and requires large amounts of chemical additives known as plasticizers in order to make it flexible enough for use in tubing. Plasticizers are continually released from flexible vinyl, often resulting in human exposure and environmental pollution. Non-phthalate plasticizers are generally safer than ortho-phthalates, however human exposure is increasing and some data gaps remain on their safety.

AVOID: Synthetic Rubber or Vinyl with Phthalates

AVOID: Belt Coatings with Antimicrobials or PFAS

Chemicals of concern may migrate from belt coatings into food products. Antimicrobials are pesticides that don’t belong in food products. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of chemicals of concern that include polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE), sometimes called TeflonTM, that may be used in belt face coatings for their non-stick properties. If non-stick properties are desired for a food-contact application, silicone rubber can provide a preferable non-stick option.

References

Carlos KS, de Jager LS, Begley TH (2018). Investigation of the primary plasticizers present in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products currently authorised as food contact materials. Food Additives and Contaminants: Part A. 35:6, 1214-1222. https://doi.org/10.1080/19440049.2018.1447695

Petersen, J. H. and Jensen, L. K. (2016). ‘Phthalates in soft PVC products used in food production equipment and in other food contact materials on the Danish and the Nordic market 2013-2014, International Journal of Food Contamination, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-016-0026-6.

See full list of resources here.

Information last updated: 10/28/2021

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