Alpla enters South American plastic recycling market in joint venture

Alpla’s recycling unit Alplarecycling has joined the Brazilian high-density PE (HDPE) recycling company Clean Bottle at its Brazil-based plastic recycling plant and has acquired a majority stake in the joint venture.

The facility, located in the state of Paraná, can produce 15,000 tons of recycled HDPE annually.

“Demand for sustainable packaging solutions made from recycled plastic is growing on all continents. Our customers want to reduce their CO2 consumption, and we support them. By investing in Clean Bottle, we are securing the long-term supply of our plants in Brazil with our own high-quality post-consumer recycled material (PCR),” says Dietmar Marin, managing director at ALPLArecycling. 

Alpla says that Brazilian demand for HDPE packaging is rising, with the plastic manufacturer and recycler already using around 32% of PCR material in its HDPE pack production.

“Brazil is the beginning of our recycling activities in South America, and therefore, the choice of partner is of key importance. Clean Bottle is an established manufacturer and, as a long-standing supplier, shares our quality standards,” says Christoph Schneider, Alpla’s regional managing director for South America. 

The facility can produce 15,000 tons of recycled HDPE annually. The parties have contractually agreed to the joint venture. The competition law approvals are still pending. The conditions were not disclosed.

Circular plastic 

Clean Bottle says its recycling plant has a modern infrastructure, self-sufficient rainwater treatment and high-quality standards.

The 15,000 sqm site employs around 120 people. Clean Bottle’s founders, Leandro Tanaka, Adriano Tanaka and Jadir Voltoline Junior, will also contribute to the joint venture’s management.

Clean Plastic Group’s collection center in Curitiba, which will be expanded further in the future, further bolsters the cooperation.

“For over 35 years, we have seen ourselves as a link in the circular economy, adding value to used plastics. With this vision, we have established ourselves as a strong partner for the packaging industry and society. Together with Alplarecycling, we are now taking the next step and want to grow together,” says Leandro Tanaka, managing director at Clean Bottle.