greenPLAST-food – Green Plastic Recycling Factory for Food Contact Materials

greenPLAST-food is a collaborative flagship project to develop a “Green Plastic Recycling Plant for Food Contact Materials”. The focus is on recycling PP and PE packaging waste into safe, high-quality polyolefin recyclates that meet strict decontamination requirements for food contact and are produced in an energy- and climate-efficient way.

Across nine work packages, sorting, decontamination, process control, and water and energy integration are investigated along the value chain. Existing recycling technologies are systematically improved, AI-based systems for sorting and monitoring are developed, and the use of renewable energy is evaluated. In parallel, environmental, economic and social impacts are assessed to design a scalable, industrially applicable and economically viable plant concept.

The key outcome is a transferable blueprint for a sustainability-optimised recycling plant that can serve as a model for a potential facility in Enns and further sites across Europe. By involving industrial partners, waste management companies, technology providers and brand owners, greenPLAST-food strengthens Austria’s technological leadership, supports EU circular economy objectives and increases acceptance of recycled plastics in food applications.