Production is expected to commence soon at a state-of-the-art new recycling plant in Ballito commissioned and constructed by leading global packaging and recycling specialist, APLA. Built at a cost of 60 million euro (R1 billion), this investment will boost the economy of the iLembe District of KwaZulu-Natal.
The plant took 18 months to construct and will produce up to 35 000 tonnes of recycled plastic flakes and food-safe pellets annually in South Africa from high-quality PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – a plastic that can be recycled into rPET (recycled PET).
The rPET produced will be taken to ALPLA’s production plant in Lanseria, where it will be processed into sustainable plastic packaging. The plant’s output will help meet the growing demand for recycled materials in South Africa’s beverage industry.
Strategic importance
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 90 000m2 plant on 31 October 2024, ALPA CEO Philip Lehner commented.
“South Africa is a strategically important market for us, and a country in which we want to continue to grow. Together with our customers and partners, our aim is to provide safe, affordable and sustainable packaging solutions that continue to improve standards of living. With our investments in Ballito, and before that in Lanseria, we have laid the foundation for a successful future,”
This plant is one of 196 facilities in 47 countries in which the ALPA Group, an Austrian company, produces custom-made packaging systems, bottles, caps and moulded parts. The high-quality packaging is then used for food and beverages, cosmetics and care products, household cleaning products, detergents and cleaning agents, pharmaceutical products, engine oils and lubricants.
The opening of the latest APLA facility in Ballito was attended by APLA Chairman Günther Lehner, Managing Director of ALPLArecycling Dietmar Marin as well as Austria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Romana Königsbrun among other local dignitaries
Accelerating industrialisation
Sihle Ngcamu, CEO of Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal said this project was an investment in the future of KwaZulu-Natal through the creation of job opportunities as well as the promotion of environmental sustainability through the recycling of plastic bottles which would otherwise go to landfills. He added, “ALPLA’s involvement not only accelerates the industrialisation of iLembe District Municipality, but ensures investment in projects that support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, attracting other companies along the value chain and creating several thousand jobs in the collection infrastructure.’
The plant’s opening is a significant milestone for ALPLA’s recycling division and reinforces the company’s commitment to promoting the circular economy and reducing waste in South Africa. “Our plant will increase the supply of rPET in the national market and benefit the country’s beverage industry in two ways; through the supply of high-quality recycled materials and the ability to meet evolving legal requirements,’ said Dietmar Marin, Managing Director of ALPLArecycling.
Under South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulation, which came into force in 2021, PET beverage bottles have had to contain 10 per cent recycled material since 2022. The legislation requires this to double to 20 percent by 2026. Gerhard Meyringer, Managing Director, ALPLArecycling South Africa comments, “With our global expertise and experience in recycling and processing, we are a reliable partner for sustainable solutions. At the same time, we are promoting the circular economy in South Africa and reducing waste through close cooperation with regional collection programmes.’
The recycling plant is already designed to further increase the proportion of pellets produced and can accommodate a second extrusion line for this purpose. An additional 30,000m2 of space is available at the site for further expansion.