BlueAlp and Recupero Etico Sostenibile (RES) have signed an agreement to establish Italy’s first industrial-scale advanced recycling facility, expected to process and convert 20kt of mixed plastic waste annually.
The plant is set to be owned and operated by RES. It will be built in Pettoranello del Molise, next to RES’ existing mechanical recycling facilities, and is expected to become operational by mid-2026.
Meanwhile, BlueAlp plans to engineer, procure, and fabricate the unit from its workshop in Eindhoven, as well as supply a technology license.
BlueAlp’s patented pyrolysis technology will be used to process waste that is incompatible with mechanical recycling, e.g. polyolefin film fractions. The plastic waste will be converted into pyrolysis oil, which can replace raw materials in the virgin plastics value chain and the chemical and petrochemical industries.
In turn, it is set to fulfil demand for high-quality recycled content solutions; for instance, the desire amongst FMCG players to achieve circularity for plastic food packaging.
BlueAlp asserts that its technology is ‘the most sustainable and economically attractive technology to convert plastic waste into cracker feedstock’. Its collaboration with RES has reportedly progressed ‘beyond the stage of early adopters’ and is ‘ready to tackle circularity at a global scale’.
“We are thrilled to partner with RES, as this marks a significant step towards making plastics truly circular,” says Valentijn de Neve, CEO of BlueAlp. “It is key that waste managers invest in plants and technology, giving another life to plastic waste that currently cannot be mechanically recycled.
“We are very proud to work with RES as they pioneer the materials transition, which perfectly aligns with BlueAlp’s ambition to accelerate plastic recycling. We aim to empower customers worldwide to embark on projects to recycle the plastics that are currently landfilled or incinerated.”
Antonio Lucio Valerio, CEO of RES S.p.A., continues: “We are very proud to announce the signing of the agreement with BlueAlp that will lead to the construction of a new pyrolysis plant, the first in Italy in terms of size and investment. In line with the information and time schedule declared in the IPO, RES will be the first national operator able to close the waste cycle, from the initial collection to the sale of the raw material resulting from the plastics processing.
“All of this in a defined area, respecting the surrounding environment, demonstrating the potential that waste can have when innovation marries commitment to reducing oil dependency and promoting the responsible use of resources.”
A groundbreaking ceremony has recently taken place for Carbios’ industrial-scale PET bio-recycling plant in Longlaville. The facility is set to process 15kt of post-consumer PET flakes every year from late 2026; and the company has signed supply agreements with various companies, including an annual 15kt of post-consumer PET flakes from Hündgen Entsorgungs and an equivalent supply from Landbell Group.
Faerch Group has also opened its Cirrec plant in Duiven, designed to process 60,000 tonnes of used PET trays from household waste in Benelux, Germany, and Sweden and achieve circularity for 3 billion items of rigid food packaging.
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
How are the top brands progressing on packaging sustainability?
The ultimate guide to global plastic sustainability regulation
No comments yet