Ingka Investments propels plastic household waste recycling in Belgium
Morssinkhof-Rymoplast Group, an Ingka Investments’ portfolio company, is establishing a plastic recycling facility in Lommel, Belgium. The plant is expected to process the plastic waste of approximately 80% of Belgian households.
The plant is Morssinkhof-Rymoplast Group’s 13th recycling facility and third in Belgium.
Once operational, the new plant will turn household waste, such as milk bottles, butter tubs, and shampoo containers, into high-quality recycled materials that can be used in packaging, such as for personal care products.
Lukas Visser, head of Circular Investment at Ingka Investments, says: “This new facility shows the power of collaboration — between households sorting their waste, companies supporting recycling, and governments supporting the transition.”
“At Ingka Group, we are committed to growing business partnerships that turn sustainable living at home into reality by expanding recycling infrastructure, keeping plastics circulating in the economy and out of the environment.”
Belgium is rapidly boosting its recycling capacity. Morssinkhof-Rymoplast Group says that while five years ago, only 9% of household plastic packaging was recycled domestically, today it is 69%. With multiple facilities coming online, national household plastic packaging statistics are expected to surpass 75% by next year, predicts the recycler.
Boosting collaboration and jobs
The new facility is being developed in collaboration with the Belgian organization Fost Plus and will enable the recycling and processing of household packaging and plastics, collected through the national PMD system (plastic, metal, and drink cartons). The project is expected to create 65 new jobs.
The recycler says the development sends a signal that building a circular future takes commitment, collaboration, and long-term investment as challenges in the rising sector — including rising costs, labor shortages, and shifting regulations — persist.
Earlier this year, Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, announced a €1 billion (US$1.4 billion) ambition through Ingka Investments to support recycling infrastructure and other circular projects across Europe. The Morssinkhof Rymoplast Group says it is a key partner in realizing that ambition.
