Greenback Recycling Technologies has initiated the first UK deployment of its Enval advanced recycling module at the Amcor packaging facility in Heanor.
The module is designed to process complex post-consumer flexible packaging waste, including materials composed of multiple laminates that have traditionally been challenging to recycle.
The company's technology is aimed at converting this waste into a pyrolytic oil that can be used to produce plastics suitable for food packaging.
The initiative is part of Greenback's commitment to advancing recycling methods and improving the traceability of recycled materials.
Greenback CEO Philippe von Stauffenberg said: “Hosting this module at Amcor’s Heanor site will enable real-time feedback from global experts, as we refine our system for maximum impact before expanding further.”
A six-month period of commissioning and trials is underway to evaluate the feasibility of integrating modular recycling units within existing industrial sites.
The process and outcomes will be tracked using eco2Veritas, Greenback's traceability platform that employs AI and internet-of-things technology to monitor the journey from waste reception to pyrolytic oil output.
The produced oil will be accompanied by a digital certificate of provenance, which will be essential for tracking the material as it is transformed back into recycled plastic, adhering to mass-balance allocation principles.
The deployment of this module has been supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
The trials at the Heanor facility will serve as a proof of concept for the technology's commercial and environmental efficacy.
Amcor has indicated that, pending the success of the trials, it may consider the installation of additional modules at Heanor or other locations within its network.
Andrew Green, vice-president at Amcor Flexibles Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said: “Combining Greenback’s innovation with Amcor’s operational experience enables us to improve circularity for soft plastics and help our customers make progress in achieving their own sustainability targets.”
