GLOBAL RECYCLING DAY 2026 – ALPLA milestones

Packaging as a valuable raw material

ALPLA does not view used packaging as the end of the line, but rather as the starting point for a new value creation process. In 14 of its own recycling plants worldwide, it is processed into high-quality recyclate using state-of-the-art technology. This recyclate then serves as the raw material for new packaging – consistently following the bottle-to-bottle principle. In this way, material cycles are closed regionally, the collection of recyclable materials is systematically strengthened, and recycling is established as a cornerstone of an efficient circular economy.

ALPLArecycling's international network currently comprises 14 plants, including five joint ventures, in ten countries: Germany, Italy, Mexico, Austria, Poland, Romania, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, and Brazil. The installed and projected output capacity amounts to 400,000 tons of PCR (post-consumer recycled) material per year – 300,000 tons of rPET (recycled PET) and 100,000 tons of rHDPE (recycled HDPE).

Ambitious targets for 2030

For ALPLA, recycling is also an essential lever for achieving global climate targets. At the beginning of 2024, the company-wide decarbonization targets were submitted to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) for validation. By 2030, ALPLA is committed to increasing the PCR share of total plastic material to 30 percent and ensuring that 95 percent of all plastic packaging materials meet the design-for-recycling criteria. At the same time, the installed and planned production capacity for recycled material is to be doubled to 700,000 tons compared to 2023. To achieve this and sustainably strengthen the further development of plastics recycling, the company invests an average of around 15 million euros per year in expanding its recycling infrastructure, growing its business, and related operational measures. Through the increased use of recycled PET and HDPE in lightweight, recyclable packaging solutions, ALPLA is specifically reducing its carbon footprint and driving forward the transformation to a climate-friendly circular economy.

ALPLA Milestones

2026

• ALPLA's internal closed-loop project for caps: ALPLA UK (Mansfield) turns production waste into valuable raw material
• ALPLA promotes circular economy in Mexico: First public collection point for recycling plastic bottles in Mexico City
• ALPLA Closed Loop project in Thailand: ALPLA has closed the loop for HDPE bottles in Thailand together with local customers.

2025

• ALPLA secures grant and set up new recycling company pioneering food-grade HDPE recycling process: ALPLA is working on a future-proof solution for food-safe HDPE recycled material.
• ALPLArecycling is closing the PET tray loop: With a newly developed process, ALPLArecycling is closing the loop for PET trays for the first time.
• PET recycling in South Africa: Ballito operational director Gerhard Meyringer and commercial director Bevlen Sudhu talk about the start-up and the opportunities and challenges in the market.
• ALPLArecycling joined the Brazilian HDPE recycling company Clean Bottle at the beginning of 2025 and acquired a majority stake in the joint venture. The annual output capacity is 15,000 tonnes.

2024

• ALPLA opens state-of-the-art recycling plant in South Africa: Production facility supplies up to 35,000 tonnes of PET recycling material annually
• ALPLA joins forces with Re-Purpose: Strategic partnership with Re-Purpose to strengthen the plastics cycle in South Africa
• New ‘Planeta’ recycling plant in Mexico: After laying the foundation stone in 2022 and 2023, acceptance for all lines and ramp-up of production took place in 2024