NEWS Bifacial


solar panel recycling


SolarPanelRecycling (SPR) has launched the first dedicated bifacial solar panel recycling line in the US, which would enable separation of all compo- nents including plastics and glass at recovery rates of 99% or higher. The company said this


approach means each material is returned to its respective supply chain. While the solar market


was previously dominated by monofacial solar panels, the industry is quickly standardising on bifacial modules due to their higher efficiencies and energy yields with bifacial modules set to account for over 70% of the market by 2033, according to IEA-PVPS. SPR said its new line


ideally positions the company to meet the demand for bifacial recycling services and it said it is already experi- encing an uptick in bifacials hitting the recycling stream. � https://solarpanelrecycling.com


Alpla results show growth in turnover


After a moderate decline in sales the previous year, Austrian plastics packaging and recycling specialist Alpla continued its growth trajectory in 2024 with new products, plants, business areas, acquisitions, and a focus on training skilled workers. As a result, the company increased its turnover from €4.7bn to €4.9bn and now plans to double its recycling capacity to 700,000 tonnes by 2030. There has been a signifi-


cant increase in the number of group sites, with Alpla reaching the 200-plant mark and creating more than a thousand new jobs. A total of 24,350 employees now work across 46 countries. The company reported


robust growth in South America, Africa, and the


Alpla reported an increase in turnover to €4.9bn in 2024 and plans to double recycling capacity to 700,000 tonnes


Middle East, while demand in North and Central America was said to have recovered. Alpla is also experiencing an upward trend in Europe. However, the market environment there remains challenging. “Increasing EU regulation is creating a lot of work and


weakening our international competitiveness,” said CEO Philipp Lehner. “This is compounded by high labour costs in some countries. We are countering this with increased efficiency, new products, and our leading role in recycling.” � www.alpla.com


French scheme is approved


The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, a €500m French scheme to support investments for the chemical


recycling of certain types of plastic waste such as trays, films, non-beverage bottles and textile materials. The Commission has deemed


the scheme “necessary and appropriate” to allow for the deployment of chemical recycling of plastics. � https://commission.europa.eu


Avient to start recompounding in Turkey


Avient has announced production of its Nymax REC Recycled Nylon Formulations is expanding to Istanbul, Turkey, increasing accessibility for customers in Middle Eastern countries. These PA6-based Nymax REC


formulations contain 20-100% recycled content from registered sources approved under REACH. Avient says they offer comparable performance to


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virgin nylon grades, including high strength, durability, impact resistance, and weather resistance. “Expanding production of these


grades to Istanbul [and] using locally sourced recycled content means we can offer Turkish and Middle Eastern countries these REACH-compliant solu- tions while helping to reduce the environmental impact of transporting


PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | January/February 2025


these materials,” said Matt Mitchell, Director, Global Marketing of Specialty Engineered Materials at Avient. Avient has also launched ColorMa-


trix Lactra ESL, an additive light-block- ing solution formulated for the extend- ed shelf-life (ESL) dairy market said to offer a more sustainable and cost-effec- tive alternative to traditional solutions. � www.avient.com


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


IMAGE: ALPLA


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