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Alpla Group has announced the establishment of a new recycling company focused on developing a food-grade high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling process.

This initiative, supported by a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, marks a pivotal step in addressing the European Union's upcoming regulatory requirements for recycled content in packaging.

The project, a collaboration between Alpla and the National Test Center for Circular Plastics (NTCP), will use a patented solvent-based recycling technology at a pilot plant located in Heerenveen.

The four-year innovation project aims to create a scalable method for producing food-safe recycled HDPE, a material crucial for the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

As the EU prepares to enforce regulations mandating that all packaging contain a minimum percentage of recycled materials by 2030, ALPLA's initiative is poised to fill a critical gap in the market.

Currently, no certified processes exist within the EU for producing food-grade HDPE recycled material.

Michael Heyde, head of technology recycling division at Alpla, said: "Our highly efficient method for cleaning and processing post-consumer recycled material could be a real game changer".

The pilot plant will serve as a testing ground for the new technology, with extensive evaluations of all process steps to ensure compliance with European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) standards.

This rigorous testing is essential for gaining the necessary approvals to scale up the process for industrial production, which is expected to commence shortly before the 2030 deadline.

ALPLA, which operates 14 recycling facilities worldwide, has already established a robust infrastructure for recycling PET and HDPE materials, with a projected capacity of 400,000 tonnes.

Martine Brandsma, CEO of NTCP, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project: "This cooperation with ALPLA fits perfectly with our mission to facilitate and accelerate technology developments. New technologies are essential for closing the plastics value chain and reducing waste."

The establishment of this pilot plant is not only a milestone for Alpla and NTCP but also represents a significant advancement in the circular economy, particularly in the food packaging sector.