The Alpla Group of Austria will establish a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling plant to be located in Targu Mures, Romania.  Projected throughput will attain 18,000 tons of recycled material annually.  The facility cost $8 million and was established with joint venture partners Ecohelp and United Polymer Trading.

The director of business development Georg Lasser stated, “The growing importance of local recycling processes calls for increased commitment in the region.”  He added, “Together with our partners we combine strength, increase the quality of the recycled PET material and ensure a long-term supply for the southeast European market.”

In October, Alpla Group opened a plastic recycling plant in Lanseria, Republic of South Africa to process plastic waste and produce high-quality rPET for food-grade packaging.

Recycling of PET will reduce the resistance to PET as a carton material to package eggs and produce. The restraint to implementation will be establishing collection centers and arranging linkage between consumers and recycling plants.