Plastics recycler Extrupet has announced an expansion of its food-grade plastic recycling operations in South Africa to more than 60 000 t/y.
“Extrupet will double our food-grade operations by adding a fourth food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) facility, which will increase our recycling capacity by an additional 33 000 t/y,” says joint MD Chandru Wadhwani.
“The demand for food-grade recycling keeps increasing, especially as retailers and consumers alike opt for more environment-friendly options. Currently, only 60% of South Africa’s plastic bottles are recycled.
“With this increased capacity, we will be able to accommodate more of South Africa’s plastic waste and strengthen South Africa’s position as a circular economy leader in Africa and the world,” he says.
Phase 1 of this expansion is slated for Cape Town and is expected to be fully operational in 2023. The first phase of the expansion development will cost about R300-million and will create additional jobs in the PET bottle collection industry.
Extrupet, which is the first food-grade plastic recycler in South Africa, currently recycles more than five-million PET bottles every day.
The rPET is sold under Extrupet's brand name PhoenixPET, which has received international acclaim and is certified by the European Food Safety Authority, Global Recycled Standard, BRC Packaging at AA rating, and International Standards Organisation 9001:2015.
The company uses global fast-moving consumer goods-approved technology to recycle PET bottles into resin for reuse in new carbonated soft drink bottles. Other prominent clients include major food and beverage companies, convertors and retailers.