Amcor adopts advanced recycling module at UK facility
Greenback Recycling Technologies has announced the first UK deployment of its Enval advanced recycling module at Amcor’s packaging facility in Heanor. The module will process household post-consumer flexible packaging waste, including multilaminate materials.
The recycling technology firm aims to improve transparency within the recycling industry. Its technology converts waste into “high-quality pyrolytic oil suitable for producing food-grade plastics.”
Philippe von Stauffenberg, CEO of Greenback, says: “This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving scalable circular solutions. 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.”
There will be a six-month commissioning and trial phase to demonstrate the potential for co-locating modular recycling units within existing industrial infrastructure.
Enhanced recycling technology
The entire process will be verified through eco2Veritas, Greenback’s traceability platform that applies AI and IoT devices to capture data from the receipt of waste through to the production of pyrolytic oil.
The oil carries digital certificate of provenance, which is passed onward in the value chain, providing data for mass-balance allocation as the material is converted into recycled plastics.
Andrew Green, vice president at Amcor Flexibles Europe, Middle East, and Africa, says: “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.”
The module is financed by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. The Heanor trials will validate the commercial and environmental value of the technology. If successful, Amcor has expressed interest in additional modules at Heanor or other Amcor sites.
In an earlier interview, Greenback Recycling Technologies told Packaging Insights that in the future, the process could be applied to “the recycling of many materials, not only plastic, including paper, metals, and glass.”
Last month, Amcor completed major upgrades at its Heanor facility as the UK prepares for mandatory curbside collection of flexible packaging in 2027. The site currently features water treatment systems that allow for water recirculation during the process.
