Alexei Volkov
The world's largest plastic recycling plant is located in Motala, Sweden. Known as Site Zero, the plant is owned by Swedish recycling company Svensk Plaståtervinning and can sort up to 12 types of plastic with a 95% success rate. Site Zero can process 200,000 tons of plastic packaging per year, which is approximately equivalent to the total volume in Sweden.
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What You'll Learn
Site Zero in Motala, Sweden
Site Zero is located in an old industrial hall in the east of Motala, which measures around 60,000 square meters. The town of Motala has a population of around 30,000 and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Vättern, far from the major cities of Stockholm and Gothenburg. Despite this, Motala has a long industrial history, dating back to the 19th century when the construction of the Göta Canal connected the Baltic Sea with the Skagerrak, enabling the circumnavigation of Denmark.
Site Zero is the most efficient recycling plant in Europe, with the capacity to sort up to 12 types of plastic, including four types of flexibles, at a 95% success rate. The plant can process 200,000 tons of plastic packaging per year, which is approximately equivalent to the total volume of plastic packaging in Sweden. This capacity is significantly higher than the total proportion of plastic waste from Swedish households, so Finnish plastic waste will also be accepted from 2024 to fully utilize the plant.
The plant utilizes state-of-the-art technology, including 60 TOMRA autosort machines, screening drums, ballistic separators, and the latest exhaust air technology, to achieve its high throughput. The combination of sorting and process technology enables the collection of 12 types of plastic with a very high degree of purity. These include PE and PP film, HDPE, PP, colored and transparent PET bottles, PET trays, and various types of polystyrene.
Site Zero is an important step towards a circular economy, reducing emissions from incineration and the need for primary raw materials. It demonstrates Sweden's commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, with the potential to revolutionize plastic recycling not just in Sweden but across Europe and the world.
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CarbonLite in Riverside, California
The 220,000-square-foot Riverside facility houses both post-consumer PET bottle recycling and processing into food-grade RPET pellets. The annual capacity is estimated at over 100 million pounds of RPET per year. In 2021, Evergreen, the PET recycling division of Greenbridge, announced its intention to acquire CarbonLite's PET recycling facility in Riverside, California. Evergreen's CEO, Omar Abuaita, highlighted how the acquisition would enhance their position as a leading PET recycler and expand their presence in North America.
The focus on "bottle-to-bottle" recycling is significant in addressing the global waste crisis and promoting sustainability. Plastic manufacturers often spread misleading information about recycling and lobby to keep their products on shelves. CarbonLite's efforts in California, a state dealing with the fallout of this crisis, are thus particularly noteworthy.
While CarbonLite in Riverside holds the distinction of being the largest plastic bottle recycling plant, it is worth noting that Site Zero in Motala, Sweden, is the world's largest plastic sorting plant. Site Zero can sort up to 12 types of plastic with a 95% success rate, doubling the capacity of the previous benchmark plant. The plant in Sweden aims to reduce emissions from incineration and the need for primary raw materials, contributing to the circular economy.
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Continuum Recycling in Lincolnshire, UK
The world's largest plastic recycling plant is Site Zero, located in Motala, Sweden. The plant can sort up to 12 types of plastic with a 95% success rate and can process 200,000 tons of plastic packaging per year.
Continuum Recycling, located in Hemswell, Lincolnshire, UK, is also a notable plastic recycling plant. The facility is a joint venture between Coca-Cola and Eco Plastics, with all the rPET produced sold to Coca-Cola as part of a ten-year agreement. The plant has increased the UK's plastic reprocessing capacity, with the ability to process 75,000 tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) per year. The facility features advanced technology, including five TITECH auto-sort flake systems and 17 polymer and optical sorters, to ensure effective sorting and purification of plastic waste. The plant's design has also been improved to enhance process flow, with the sorting facility built internally before external walls were raised.
Continuum Recycling's facility focuses on processing and purification, ensuring the removal of any impurities to achieve the highest purity levels. The plant had converted over 70% of its input material into food-grade plastic in 2009. The recycling process at Continuum Recycling involves several steps. First, plastic bales are put into a bale breaker to separate them into individual items. These are then sorted into PET and HDPE, while other plastics are sent for further sorting. The sorted dry PET undergoes granulation and a hot wash process to produce clean flakes, removing any contaminations. Finally, the dry flakes are extruded and cooked at 120°C for about 1.5 hours to create food-grade and HDPE pellets.
The expansion of the Continuum Recycling facility in Lincolnshire, UK, has played a significant role in increasing the country's plastic reprocessing capabilities and promoting sustainable waste management practices. The plant's advanced technology and efficient design contribute to its effectiveness in tackling plastic waste.
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SUEZ Circular Polymer Plant in Thailand
The SUEZ Circular Polymer Plant in Bang Phli, Thailand, is the company's first plastic recycling plant in Asia. The plant is part of the country's efforts to achieve 100% plastic recycling by 2030.
The facility converts 30,000 tonnes of Thailand's plastic packaging waste into high-quality post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic each year. This process helps to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean and contributes to mitigating the plastic pollution crisis in Southeast Asia, where more than 8 million tonnes of plastic waste are dumped into the ocean annually.
The SUEZ plant has one of the highest water reuse rates for recycling plants in Thailand, at 94%. This helps to avoid 35,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year, which is equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 1.5 million trees.
The plant recycles low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plastic. It is supported by specialists from PLAST’lab®, SUEZ’s plastic laboratory from France, which allows the facility to qualify, characterise, measure, and formulate new recycled plastics to meet specific customer requirements.
The SUEZ Circular Polymer Plant in Thailand is a significant step towards reducing plastic pollution, protecting the oceans, and building a more sustainable future.
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Ultra-Poly Corporation in Pennsylvania, US
The Ultra-Poly Corporation, located in Portland, Pennsylvania, is one of the largest and most efficient plastic recyclers in North America. With an annual production capacity of over 300 million pounds across five plants, Ultra-Poly has established itself as a key player in the plastics industry.
The company was founded in 1974 by Alan La Fiura, starting with a single production line located in a basement in Newark, New Jersey. Over the years, Ultra-Poly has expanded significantly, now boasting a 150,000 square foot factory in Portland, as well as additional plants and operations across Central Pennsylvania.
Ultra-Poly's business model revolves around four key units: Toll Processing, Custom Compounding, Contract Manufacturing, and Trade/Handling. Through these units, the company provides valuable services to businesses in the plastics industry. They convert scrap into reusable material, offer low-cost recycled substitutes, assist in product development with recycled plastic, and facilitate the trade of scrap, resin, and regrind.
The company has a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. By investing in advanced technologies and processes, Ultra-Poly can produce high-quality plastic that meets exact specifications by mixing different scrap streams. Their products are used across a broad range of markets, including construction, automotive, and consumer goods.
Ultra-Poly's commitment to customer service, technological advancement, and sustainability has solidified their reputation in the industry. With nearly 50 years of experience, they have built a strong network of customers and suppliers spanning North America, including prominent blue-chip manufacturers. The company's dedication to continuous improvement and delivering beyond expectations has been a driving force behind their success.
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Frequently asked questions
Site Zero in Motala, Sweden, is the world's largest plastic recycling plant. It can sort up to 12 types of plastic with a 95% success rate.
Site Zero can sort 200,000 tons of plastic packaging per year.
CarbonLite in Riverside, California, is the second-largest plastic recycling plant in the world. It is the largest "bottle-to-bottle" plastic recycling plant.
Continuum Recycling, a joint venture between ECO Plastics and Coca-Cola Enterprises Ltd, is the largest plastic recycling plant in the UK. It is located in Lincolnshire.
