ALPLA secures grant and set up new recycling company pioneering food-grade HDPE recycling process
Four-year innovation project with NTCP kicks off in the Netherlands
Hard, 4 December 2025 – Safe, affordable, sustainable: ALPLA is working on a future-proof solution for food-safe HDPE recycled material. The international packaging and recycling specialist is now evaluating the patented solvent-based process at a pilot plant in Heerenveen in collaboration with the independent technological institute NTCP. The innovation project, which is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth, will run for four years. Just in time for the start of the PPWR 2030, the innovative solution will be scaled up to industrial production.
From 2030, packaging in the EU must contain a minimum proportion of recycled material. ALPLA and NTCP are working on a future-proof and affordable solution for plastic food packaging. The patented recycling technology is expected to deliver food-safe HDPE recycled material (rHDPE) on an industrial scale for the first time. Following several years of R&D with successful laboratory results, the two project partners have just started evaluating the solvent-based process at the NTCP site in Heerenveen.
Intensive testing of all process steps of the patented technology will be performed as part of a collaborative innovation project. The aim is to obtain approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in the near future. The construction and operation of the pilot plant will provide valuable insights for scaling up the process. ALPLA has set up its own recycling company in the Netherlands for this purpose.
Milestone for the circular economy
“To date, there is no certified process in the EU for the production of food-grade HDPE recycled material. Our highly efficient technology for cleaning and processing post-consumer recycled material could be a real game changer,” explains Michael Heyde, Head of Technology Recycling Division at ALPLA. The company already produces PET and HDPE recycled material in its own recycling division at 14 locations worldwide, with 400 000 tonnes installed and projected recycling output capacity. ALPLA processes most of this material itself into packaging. The future industrialisation of this innovative technology should enable readily available food packaging made from rHDPE for the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) market.
“This cooperation with ALPLA fits perfectly to the core activities and mission of NTCP as an independent knowledge institute, to facilitate and accelerate technology developments with frontrunner parties. We believe that new technologies are needed to completely close the plastics value chain while reducing the amount of waste,” emphasises Martine Brandsma, NTCP’s CEO.
The pilot project is being carried out with the support of the Dutch Ministry of Climate Policy and Green Growth.
About ALPLA Group
ALPLA is one of the world's leading companies for the production and recycling of plastic packaging. More than 24,000 employees produce customised packaging systems, bottles, closures and injection-molded parts at 200 locations in 46 countries worldwide. The areas of application of the quality packaging are diverse: food and beverages, cosmetics and care products, household cleaners, detergents and cleaning agents, pharmaceuticals, motor oil and lubricants.
ALPLA operates recycling plants for PET and HDPE in Austria, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Romania, Thailand and Brazil and has been consolidating all recycling activities under the ALPLArecycling brand since 2023. Further projects are being implemented.
About NTCP
The NTCP (National Test Center Circular Plastics) in Heerenveen (Netherlands) is an independent knowledge institute dedicated to accelerating the circular economy in the plastics recycling chain by developing and maturing technology. Using modern industrial-scale equipment, the NTCP conducts tests and research into the sorting and washing processes for plastics from household waste. The not-for-profit organisation was founded in 2018.
For further information, please contact
ALPLA, Erik Nielsen (Team Leader Corporate Communications), +43 (0)5574 6021 701, erik.nielsen@alpla.com
Pzwei. Pressearbeit, Joshua Köb, +43 (0)5574 44715 22, joshua.koeb@pzwei.at