Circular Plastics Company (CPC), a Singapore-based plastics recycler, has officially commenced operations at its new polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling facility in Vietnam. Located in the Chau Duc Industrial Park in Ba Ria, a coastal city in Southeast Vietnam, the facility marks a major step in CPC’s efforts to strengthen circular economy initiatives across the region, according to Sustainable Plastics.
The plant boasts an initial annual capacity of 30,000 metric tons of PET flakes, including 14,000 metric tons of food-grade recycled PET (rPET) flakes. CPC plans to expand the plant’s output significantly in a second phase of construction. All feedstock for the facility is sourced domestically from Vietnam, according to CPC CEO Steven Granot, who spoke with Sustainable Plastics.
The food-grade rPET produced at the site is set for both export and local use, with shipments planned for markets in Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as Vietnam’s own packaging sector.
Construction of the facility began in August 2024. The site features a full suite of state-of-the-art equipment supplied by leading European manufacturers. The wash plant was designed by Italy’s Sorema and equipped with Pellenc bottle sorters and Tomra flake sorters, both recognized for their advanced separation technologies. Austrian firm Starlinger supplied the recycling extrusion line, a key component in ensuring the production of high-quality food-grade rPET.
“This factory is more than just an expansion — it’s a statement about our vision for a circular future in Asia,” Granot said. “We are proud to bring together best-in-class technology and deep process expertise to support regional sustainability goals and deliver certified food-grade rPET at scale.”
The Vietnam facility builds on CPC’s presence in Southeast Asia. The company also operates Myanmar’s only PET bottle recycling plant, underscoring its commitment to strengthening recycling infrastructure across emerging markets in the region.
As of 2019, Vietnam’s plastic recycling rate stood at approximately 33%, with PET leading the pack due to its high recyclability and established collection channels. However, the country continues to be one of the world’s leading destinations for imported plastic waste, a dynamic that complicates the domestic recycling landscape.
Meanwhile, recyclers in Europe face increasing pressure from low-cost recyclate exports originating from Vietnam and other Asian nations, which are challenging their competitiveness in local markets. CPC’s new facility further highlights Southeast Asia’s growing role in the global recycled plastics supply chain.
