TACOMA, Wash., Nov. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The majority of meals, whether prepared at a fine restaurant or a school cafeteria, are served with a free side of microplastics that the body may ingest into the digestive tract, blood, organs and cells.
White plastic cutting surfaces, known as HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene), that dominate the commercial kitchen industry, shed generous portions of microplastic dandruff when scored by knives.
Richlite, a Tacoma, Wash.-based manufacturer of paper composite surface materials, offers an alternative that does not shed microplastics, based on research conducted by FILAB, a private, independent materials and chemical analytical laboratory and research facility based in France.
FILAB released a report in September after testing both intact and intentionally scratched Richite cutting boards and determined that it does not release microplastics from its own materials. The very small number of microplastics detected in the test were likely due to external contamination, according to the researchers.
“Food safety is paramount in the culinary industry yet microplastics have been an accepted standard until now,” said Don Atkinson, Richlite’s chief marketing officer. “Microplastic testing on hard surfaces is not common. We contacted numerous labs in the U.S. and Europe to explore their capabilities before finding the one that was most advanced and able to conduct appropriate tests. We hope the results lead to higher awareness and improved standards.”
Richlite is a cellulose-based composite, composed of 65% FSC®-certified paper fibers and a thermoset resin that is permanently crosslinked during manufacture. This cured structure is inert, stable, non-thermoplastic, and non-soluble — meaning it does not soften, dissolve, or shed microscopic plastic fragments under heat, water exposure, or mechanical stress. FILAB found that no resin particles were detected in the test and that any potential microscopic fibrous material would not be absorbed in the body.
Richlite was founded during World War II as a tooling material used by Boeing in its aircraft operations. Today the material is popular in a range of products from architectural surfaces and skate ramps to guitar fretboards, industrial surfaces and cutting boards. The NSF-certified product is popular in commercial kitchens due to its durability, sanitary properties, ease on knife edges and natural aesthetic.
Richlite is a proud supplier for cutting boards and commercial food prep surfaces to Victorinox, Epicurean, Read Products, The Cutting Board Company, Randell, Delfield, True, Hoshizaki and many other brands.
Contact Information:
Ryan Hayter
360.981.2929
[email protected]
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5b3e03a-7f76-4d39-a624-fa2a74f1060a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/705703ae-edc6-4917-b797-93deea21af0c
