THE COtooCLEAN demonstration plant developed by Nextek and Coveris, and supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, is now fully operational at Coveris’ ReCover site in Lincolnshire.
The move has been described as marking a major step forward in advanced recycling of flexible films.
The plant showcases purification technology designed to convert post-consumer polyolefin (PE and PP) film waste into high-quality recycled resin suitable for food-grade applications.
Developed by Nextek and scaled in partnership with Coveris, COtooCLEAN is designed to address the issue of embedded contaminants in plastic films. Using ‘supercritical’ COâ‚‚ extraction, the process penetrates deep into the polymer structure to remove oils, odours and legacy substances that conventional mechanical recycling cannot fully eliminate.
According to Nextek founder Edward Kosior, COtooCLEAN’s high purification performance provides a critical complementary step to unlock higher-quality recycled materials and enable true circularity for flexible films.
The plant, built with the funding support from Alliance to End Plastic Waste, will allow the project to enter into its industrial phase, beginning this month. This phase will enable the development of larger-scale operational experience and the generation of data required for European regulatory approval, while demonstrating both scalability and commercial viability.
“With COtooCLEAN now fully operational, we are taking an important step in preparing to solve the food-grade recycling challenge for flexible films,” said Bernhard Mumelter, group innovation manager at Coveris Group. “Together with our advanced de-inking technologies, this innovation strengthens our mechanical recycling capabilities and opens the next phase of solutions for more demanding applications.”
Jacob Duer, president and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, added, “COtooCLEAN has the potential to improve both the rate and quality of flexible plastics recycling. This demonstration plant is an important step in validating the technology and supporting its path to wider deployment.
“It also reflects the Alliance’s commitment to advancing practical, scalable solutions. By accelerating innovation and working with partners across the value chain, we are working to turn progress into real systems change.”
Industrial-scale trials will generate the two years of data required by European regulators.
