ALPLA and NTCP launch a government-supported pilot to develop Europe’s first food-grade rHDPE process, enabling circular, regulation-ready packaging.
ALPLA has taken a significant step toward advancing sustainable packaging by securing a government-backed grant and forming a new recycling-focused subsidiary dedicated to pioneering a food-grade HDPE recycling process. The global packaging and recycling leader is developing a long-term, future-ready solution that enables the production of high-quality, food-safe recycled HDPE (rHDPE), addressing a critical gap in the circular economy for plastics.
In partnership with NTCP, an independent technology institute in the Netherlands, ALPLA is now testing a patented solvent-based recycling process at a pilot facility located in Heerenveen. This initiative, supported financially by the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, marks the beginning of a four-year innovation program aimed at validating the process, optimizing its performance, and preparing it for eventual commercial deployment. The timing aligns strategically with the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which mandates that by 2030 all packaging placed on the European market must include a minimum percentage of recycled content. The technology under development is expected to be an essential enabler for companies aiming to meet these new regulatory standards.
After several years of research and trials that delivered promising laboratory-scale outcomes, ALPLA and NTCP have now initiated large-scale evaluations of how the solvent-based process performs under real operational conditions. As part of the collaboration, every stage of the recycling method will undergo rigorous testing to confirm consistency, safety, efficiency, and compliance. A key objective is to secure approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), ensuring that the recycled HDPE produced through this method meets all regulatory requirements for food-contact materials.
To support these efforts and future expansion, ALPLA has established its own dedicated recycling company in the Netherlands. The pilot plant is expected to generate essential technical insights that will guide the eventual industrial scaling of the technology, paving the way for Europe’s first certified food-grade HDPE recycling process.
Highlighting the significance of this milestone, Michael Heyde, Head of Technology in ALPLA’s Recycling Division, noted that the EU currently has no approved method for producing food-grade rHDPE. He emphasized that ALPLA’s advanced cleaning and processing approach could serve as a transformative breakthrough for the industry. ALPLA already recycles PET and HDPE across 14 facilities worldwide, representing around 400,000 tonnes of installed and planned recycling capacity. Much of this recycled material is reintegrated into ALPLA’s own packaging products, reinforcing its commitment to closed-loop systems. The company expects that industrializing the solvent-based process will allow for widespread availability of food-contact-safe rHDPE, supporting FMCG brands seeking reliable sustainable packaging solutions.
NTCP’s CEO, Martine Brandsma, added that the partnership aligns perfectly with NTCP’s mission to accelerate technological advancements in plastics recycling. She highlighted the need for cutting-edge technologies to close the loop in the plastics value chain and reduce global waste generation.
The pilot initiative represents a crucial advancement in the transition toward a fully circular plastics economy and is strengthened by the Dutch government’s active support and commitment to sustainable innovation.
