Plastipak announces PET recycling expansion in Luxembourg
Plastics manufacturer and recycler Plastipak has completed its expansion of its manufacturing site in Bascharage, Luxembourg. The expansion will allow the plant to increase its annual production capacity of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by 136 per cent.
Opening in 2008, the site converts recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) flakes collected from post-consumer bottles into food-grade recycled rPET pellets. The rPET pellets are then used to create new preforms and containers produced within the Bascharage location.
Pedro Martins, Executive Managing Director of Plastipak’s European Division, stated: “This latest investment to increase our capacity in rPET production actively demonstrates Plastipak’s long-term commitment to bottle-to-bottle recycling and our leadership in the PET circular economy.
“Plastipak is the leading producer of food-grade rPET in Europe, with the majority of the post-consumer recycled material we use in Europe produced in-house.”
Global recycling Business Manager for Plastipak, Dave Stajninger, added: “Plastipak began producing post-consumer recycled resins for packaging customers in 1989, and has had many expansions in North America and Europe since then. We are excited to continue supporting our global packaging customers in achieving their sustainability goals.”
Recycled PET makes up 27 per cent of resin consumed at Plastipak’s sites across Europe in 2020, while representing 45.3 per cent of recycled resin consumed by their Bascharage location.
In May 2021, Plastipak announced a similar investment in its Spanish recycling site, with construction expected to commence this summer. The manufacturer later announced a partnership with anaerobic digestion (AD) operator BioteCH4 to lead its PET recycling plant in Hemswell, Lincolnshire, in June of last year. 
