Eco Plastics (Hemswell, Lincolnshire / UK; www.ecoplasticsltd.com) has started work on its new PET recycling plant in Hemswell as part of its joint venture with Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE, Middlesex / UK; www.cokecce.co.uk). Ground works, foundations and a new road have been completed for the project, which will raise capacity at the site from 100,000 t/y to 140,000 t/y. The project is expected to become fully operational during 2012 – see Plasteurope.com of 25.07.2011.

Eco Plastics and CCE said they have named their PET recycling joint venture Continuum Recycling, reflecting the fact that the venture will establish a continuous process for re-processing plastic bottles. Used plastic bottles will be recycled at Hemswell and the materials produced will be re-used in new Coca-Cola bottles, enabling CCE to meet its target of including 25% recycled PET in all its plastics packaging by 2012, they added.

Nick Brown, commercial recycling manager at CCE, said a continuous process of use, recycling and reuse for plastic bottles “is a really important step in CCE’s journey to transform recycling in Great Britain”.

The expansion will increase the amount of high quality bottle-grade rPET produced in the UK to more than 75,000 t/y, more than doubling the current total, according to Eco Plastics.