Sustainability
The role of Plasta Rei
An example of a responsible industrial transition, in which reducing environmental impact, safeguarding jobs and regenerating the local area are the result of coherent and measurable industrial and organisational decisions
Rethinking the plastics system means taking simultaneous action on the environment, climate and economy, by integrating industrial innovation, public policy and new production models. As highlighted in the OECD’s Global Plastics Outlook, the transition to a more circular approach to plastics is no longer an option, but a strategic necessity to reduce environmental and climate risks and ensure the long-term sustainability of industrial supply chains. Without a change of course – according to the OECD – the increase in plastic volumes will result in a parallel rise in waste and associated emissions, exacerbating both the climate crisis and the pressure on ecosystems.
Environmental impact of the process
The process enables the recycling – via upcycling – of even PET streams unsuitable for mechanical recycling, which are currently mainly sent for energy recovery or to landfill. The result is the production of commercial-grade granules, suitable for industrial applications, with a carbon footprint 67 per cent lower than that of virgin granules, contributing significantly to reducing emissions throughout the plastics supply chain and to the development of an advanced circular economy model. In fact, thanks to the project, CO₂ emissions will be reduced by approximately 620,000 tonnes over 10 years.
Impact on the local area
In line with an integrated sustainability approach, the plant is being built on a pre-existing industrial site, without any new land take. The decision to reuse existing infrastructure makes it possible to reclaim an area affected by industrial dereliction, restoring it to productive use. Plasta Rei is also the result of the preservation of over 60 direct jobs in the Province of Latina, which aims to retain skilled industrial expertise, support the local economy and provide continued employment for numerous families in an area marked by previous industrial crises.
Certifications and management model
Plasta Rei – following its 100% acquisition by Itelyum in December 2025 – has embarked on a structured programme to strengthen its organisation and management and is currently working towards obtaining process and product certifications; it has also implemented a compliance system in accordance with Legislative Decree 231/01, in support of a management model based on transparency, accountability and risk control.
Plasta Rei's circular model
The depolymerisation process as the new frontier in recycling
Plasta Rei is positioning itself as a key player in a circular model for PET that can be recycled multiple times without structural degradation of the polymer, potentially in infinite cycles. Thanks to a depolymerisation process, PET is broken down to its basic unit, the monomer; the subsequent repolymerisation stage then allows intact polymer chains to be reconstructed, equivalent to those of virgin material.
The result is a non-degraded material, which retains its chemical and physical properties unchanged and can be recycled multiple times without any loss of quality and without the need to blend with virgin raw materials. This approach overcomes the limitations of traditional recycling processes based on downcycling, in which materials undergo a progressive decline in performance and value with each recovery cycle.
BHET purification: a key stage in the process
A central element of Plasta Rei’s process is the production and purification of BHET, a key chemical intermediate in the PET value chain.
The ability to produce high-purity BHET makes it possible to:
- remove contaminants, colourants and additives present in the feedstock;
- obtain a final polymer with consistent and reproducible characteristics.
The quality of the BHET is therefore a determining factor in meeting the standards required for food-grade applications and for the full substitutability of virgin PET.
Why ‘short-loop’ chemical recycling of PET is different
The process developed by Plasta Rei is based on a ‘short-loop’ chemical recycling model, which differs markedly from both traditional mechanical recycling and long-loop chemical recycling.
In the short-loop model, post-consumer PET is directly converted back to its intermediate monomer, which is subsequently purified and repolymerised to produce a material with chemical and physical properties equivalent to those of virgin PET.
This approach makes it possible to:
- avoid any structural degradation of the polymer;
- produce 100% recycled granules without the addition of virgin raw materials;
- eliminate the need to use mass balance mechanisms to demonstrate recycled content;
- maintain a shorter and more efficient circular pathway, with measurable environmental and industrial benefits.
‘Short-loop’ recycling represents a technologically advanced solution for PET circularity and is clearly distinct, in terms of its role and characteristics, from both mechanical recycling and chemical recovery via pyrolysis.
Plasta Rei contributes to a forward-looking vision of the circular economy by integrating with existing recycling supply chains and expanding the possibilities for the recovery of plastic waste that cannot be processed by traditional methods.