Latvia boasts major new PET recycling plant

Latvia's 1.8 million population is getting more plastics recycling capacity.

One of the largest PET recycling facilities in northern Europe has opened at Olaine, Latvia.

Iterum’s new site has a planned processing capacity of 80 000 tonnes per year, about 30% more than was possible at the company’s previous production facility in Jelgava. Iterum has invested more than EUR 10 million the new factory while the total investment exceeds EUR 35 million.

The newly opened factory is one of the biggest industrial buildings in Latvia with a total indoor area of ​​approximately 30 000 square metres and an outdoor area of ​​approximately 40 000 square metres. Suppliers include the Austrian manufacturer Starlinger.

World-leading

Iterus says the level of the equipment at the new facility has been installed in only two other production plants in Europe and 10 across the world. ‘Thus, the plant will also be technologically one of the most modern PET processing plants in Europe and the world.’

The initiative is expected to help boost the Latvian recycling rate from its current level of less than 50%.

Re-brand

Jūlija Zandersone, chair of the Iterum board says sustainability is one of the main pillars of the factory’s operation. ‘Almost 100% of our production is exported. Although Latvia is territorially small compared to other European countries, we can be proud that in terms of PET processing with high-quality production, we are able to reach up to 5% of this market share.’

Iterum was known as PET Baltija until a re-branding in June 2024. Its owner is Eco Baltia, a group of environmental resource management companies in the Baltic region.

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