Alpla and Re-Purpose propel South Africa’s circular packaging economy
28 May 2024 --- Plastics manufacturer Alpla has joined forces with waste management firm Re-Purpose to advance sustainable packaging solutions and strengthen the feedstock value chain of Alpla’s first PET recycling facility in Africa.
The strategic partnership will see Alpla invest €60 million (US$65 million) in the construction of a state-of-the-art recycling plant in Ballito in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal.
Construction of the plant on the 90,000 SQM site is “well advanced.” From the beginning of 2025, the plant is expected to produce over 35,000 tons of recycled PET annually.
Durban-based Re-Purpose is one of the market leaders in the reverse logistics of post-consumer plastic waste through source-oriented collection programs. With four material recovery facilities around KwaZulu-Natal, the company is developing and empowering local communities and buy-back centers to collect and divert a significant volume of plastic waste.
The model is also creating hundreds of jobs and income for previously disadvantaged people.
The partnership combines Alpla’s recycling expertise and Re-Purpose’s reverse logistics. By joining forces, the companies aim to develop innovative solutions and promote the circular economy.
Alpla has partnered with Re-Purpose to strengthen the feedstock value chain of its first PET recycling facility in Africa.
Circular ambitions
As part of the collaboration, Re-Purpose will maximize the utilization of its current baling centers and set up new centers to make it easier for people to collect PET bottles.
Re-Purpose will also assist Alpla in building a strategic supplier base for PET bottle bales and work with key stakeholders to expand community reach and separation at source programs. The aim is to contribute to the collection of 5,000 tons of PET per month. This volume is expected to be required for the full capacity operation of Alpla’s recycling plant from 2026.
“This collaboration allows us to expand our portfolio of packaging solutions made from recycled PET material, offering our customers in the region innovative alternatives that align with their sustainability goals,” says Dietmar Marin, managing director of the Recycling Division at Alpla.
Re-Purpose brings its expertise in baling with state-of-the-art machinery and in developing collection models from the source. The partnership strengthens the company’s impact and drives the widespread adoption of collection programs with buy-back centers, waste pickers and schools.
“By combining Alpla’s extensive recycling experience with our reverse collection model, we are expanding the circular economy and supporting manufacturers in achieving the required EPR targets,” says Bevlen Sudhu, founder and managing director of Re-Purpose.
Edited by Joshua Poole
