Amcor upgrades UK recycling plant for plastic circularity advancements

Amcor has completed major upgrades at its recycling facility in Heanor, UK, processing a range of post-consumer and industrial flexible plastic waste.

Recent investments improved the consistency and quality of recycled output, enabling an additional 2,800 metric tons of recyclate to be used in high-performance flexible packaging applications, according to Amcor. 

“Recycling flexible plastics at scale is essential for achieving circularity and ensuring supply chain resilience,” says Gerald Rebitzer, vice president for Sustainability Operations & Advocacy at Amcor. 

“As the UK prepares for mandatory curbside collection of flexible packaging in 2027, it’s vital that we continue to strengthen our recycling infrastructure to meet demand.”

Recycled packaging and films

The Heanor facility operates a fully integrated recycling process that converts suitable flexible plastic waste into high-quality post-consumer recycled polymers. 

These resins are used in Amcor’s flexible packaging for non-contact sensitive industrial packaging, collation shrink films, and stretch films for pallet protection and stabilization.

Amcor says onsite quality testing guarantees consistency, and third-party RecyClass certification helps ensure traceability and compliance. This supports brands in meeting the UK Plastic Packaging Tax requirements and expectations for increased use of recycled content.

The site also features water treatment systems that allow for water recirculation during the recycling process, reducing overall water use. The systems are certified Zero Waste to Landfill by Valpak and hold RecyClass certification, reinforcing Amcor’s commitment to transparency and industry standards.

“This latest investment at Heanor reinforces Amcor’s strategy to support circular packaging systems while helping customers meet evolving environmental expectations,” says Rebitzer.

In other developments, UK waste management company Biffa closed one of its recycling plants earlier this month due to regulatory uncertainty and plastic waste exports.