The new Planta Nueva Ecología de Tabasco (PLANETA) recycling plant, which will entail an investment of over $60m, is being built in the municipality of Cunduacán in the state of Tabasco
Alpla and Coca-Cola FEMSA start the construction of the new PLANETA recycling plant. (Credit: ALPLA)
Alpla Group and Mexican beverage company Coca-Cola FEMSA have commenced construction on a new PET recycling plant in southeast Mexico.
The new Planta Nueva Ecología de Tabasco (PLANETA) recycling plant, which will entail an investment of over $60m, is being built in the municipality of Cunduacán in the state of Tabasco.
With a capacity to process 50,000 tonnes of post-consumer PET bottles per annum, the new facility will help produce 35,000 tonnes of ready-to-use recycled PET material per year.
The construction and operation of the new recycling facility is anticipated to create over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs, said Alpla.
The new recycling plant is also strategically located to coordinate with 18 collection centres across the south and south-east Mexico, thereby helping to improve solid waste recycling.
Alpla CEO Philipp Lehner said: “The big challenge today is the handling of the materials after the consumption phase. We are currently investing worldwide in systems to give plastic packaging a value – because then it is collected and recycled.
“With strong partners like Coca-Cola FEMSA at our side, we will be able to set up the necessary infrastructure and close the bottle cycle in as many regions as possible.”
In 2018, Alpla and Coca-Cola FEMSA have joined the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to use 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable products by 2025, as well as to integrate 25% post-consumer recycled material in total material consumption during the same period.
From 2005, Alpla Mexico, Coca-Cola Mexico and Coca-Cola FEMSA are operating Industria Mexicana de Reciclaje (IMER), which is said to be the first food-grade PET recycling plant in Latin America.
The facility, located in the state of Mexico, holds a production capacity of 15,000 tonnes of flakes from post-consumer PET per annum.
In November last year, Alpla opened a new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic recycling in Mexico.