Plastic with collector’s value
By paying for the receipt of PET bottles, ALPLA is supporting the collection of used beverage packaging in Mexico. Even in places where there are no collection points for plastics. Vans specially deployed by ALPLA accept the collected material locally. The raw material is then reprocessed in our own recycling plants.
PET bottles are also a valuable commodity after use – above all for reprocessing in the bottle-to-bottle loop. However, the global return rates for used PET bottles vary greatly: while in Germany around 97 per cent of PET-bottles are collected and submitted, in the USA the figure is just 28 per cent. Mexico is in the middle of the field at 59 per cent – two per cent above the European Union figure. Plastic returns also vary within the country itself: Mexico City, for example, has a collection rate of 96 per cent, while in some places outside the conurbations it is as low as 12 per cent.
Commitment to sustainability
ALPLA has been actively involved in plastic recycling around the world for many years. This is also the case in Mexico through the association with local recycling companies, the joint ventures IMER (Industria Mexicana de Reciclaje, S.A. de C.V.) and PLANETA (Planta Nueva Ecología de Tabasco S.A. de C.V.). ALPLA supports the collection of this useful plastic by paying for the receipt of used PET bottles. In doing so, it offers individuals, families and neighbourhood associations – the so-called ‘Socios Acopiadores’ – a means of earning an income.
Even in rural regions that seldom have plastic collection points, the company sends its own trucks to collect the recyclable material from the local ‘Socios Acopiadores’. In this way, ALPLA is replacing the missing disposal structures and at the same time creating a financial incentive for the responsible use of recyclable plastic.
Less waste, more benefits
Recyclable, inexpensive and practical to handle – PET bottles are the most common form of packaging for beverages due to their advantages. And thus also secure the potential to be able to collect profitable quantities. Collecting in Mexico ensures an income and reduces plastic waste at the same time. In addition to the paid acceptance of the plastic, ALPLA supports the ‘Socios Acopiadores’ in commercial matters and helps with invoices, bank accounts and tax authorities. This allows recyclers to pay their collectors by cheque or bank transfer. All the basis for an orderly existence. With its commitment, ALPLA combines social and environmental issues directly at the local level – and makes the PET bottle a part of sustainable behaviour.
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