Plastic Recycling Amsterdam, a collaboration between Umincorp and Milieu Service Nederland, is constructing a new plastics recycling plant is to be built at the Port of Amsterdam.

Plastic Recycling Amsterdam (PRA), a collaboration between Umincorp and Milieu Service Nederland, is constructing a new plastics recycling plant is to be built at the Port of Amsterdam.

The organisation explained that the new facility, which can be expanded on a modular basis, will initially process 17,000 tonnes of plastics annually and prepare them to be reused.

The development is part of its move expand its circular plastics hub. Once operational it will first wash incoming plastic waste, shred it and then route through a magnetic bath. Using Magnetic Density Separation (MDS) technology, the plastics can be separated with a purity of 99% because different plastics have different weights.

The technology was originally developed at Delft University of Technology. The sorted plastics can then be processed into high-quality new packaging materials.

According to PRA the technology also represents a breakthrough in sustainable plastics recycling. Compared with traditional plastics, 90% of CO2 and 75% of costs in the supply chain are saved by using this circular process.

“With its existing large-scale collection of plastics and the growth of the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area in the years ahead, the Port of Amsterdam is the ideal location for establishing PRA,” commented Jaap Vandehoek, CEO of Umincorp.

Last week, Ingka, Ikea’s parent company, announced last week that it will invest in Umincorp.

“We are determined to make the difference in plastics recycling with our unique MDS technology and the recent investment by Ingka Group,” said Vandehoek

Roon van Maanen, Director Circular & Renewable Industry at Port of Amsterdam added: “PRA transforms recyclable plastics into raw materials for new plastics, while non-recyclable plastics are converted into transport fuel by Integrated Green Energy Solutions Amsterdam, which is also established in our Port.

“Therefore this provides solutions for used plastics and means that Port of Amsterdam is a real circular plastics hub.”The Europe-wide strategy on plastics adopted earlier this week as part of the transition towards a more circular economy has been welcomed by trade body EuPC.The European Plastics Converters Association has presented the results of its survey on the current and future use of recycled plastics materials to its members.With growing concern across the plastics value chain WMW looks at a number of ambitious recently been launched circular economy initiatives.