Newsreader

Headimage abstract

Sweden: Expansion of the "Site Zero" recycling plant

The annual capacity of the sorting plant in Motala (Sweden) is to be almost doubled to 200,000 tons.

 

According to the representative Civey survey, jointly commissioned by IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen and PlasticsEurope Deutschland, consumers see the benefits of plastic and consider it indispensable in many areas, for example over 60 percent in the medical and healthcare sector, almost 55 percent in the computer and electrical sector and almost 48 percent in vehicle construction. A good 38 percent still consider plastic indispensable in the household and hygiene sector and almost 31 percent in the food supply. Around 30 percent see the greatest progress in the use of plastics in better recycling and almost as many in multiple or reuse. Only 15 percent can identify a contribution to climate protection through plastic. Over 63 percent of respondents see its biggest problem in marine pollution, around 57 percent in microplastics and around 47 percent in careless throwing away. When asked what is particularly important to them in product packaging, around 40 percent cite hygiene and a good 38 percent cite the protective function. 51 percent of respondents say that they use plastic packaging mostly to keep food fresh for longer. Only 20 percent value the longer shelf life and lighter weight.Around one million Swedish kronor (98 million euros) is reportedly being invested by the Svensk Plaståtervinning organization, formerly Plastkretsen, in the expansion of the plant, which is located between Gothenburg and Stockholm and has so far been able to process 120,000 tons per year. The plant, which is to be expanded by 2023, is said to then use 60 near-infrared devices for sorting, increase the number of types of plastic sorted and recycled from four to twelve, increase the number of employees from 80 to 150 to 200 and, in a second phase starting in 2025, also integrate granulation. This should create the conditions for sorting all plastic packaging from Swedish households and separating it into different types of plastic for chemical and mechanical recycling. Svensk Plaståtervinning already offers a nationwide system for the collection and recycling of plastic packaging in Sweden. The recycling company is owned by Swedish bottlers, importers, retailers and packaging manufacturers, as well as various industry associations.

 

Sources:

  • euwid-recycling.de, Kunststoff Information (1.9.2021)
  • Photo: © Svensk Plaståtervinning

Go back