MODENA, Italy, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aliplast, a Herambiente Group (part of the Hera Group multi-utility) subsidiary and one of Italy's leading companies in plastics collection, recycling and regeneration, inaugurated its rigid plastics recycling plant in Modena. The official opening of R3GID (Recover Recycle Regenerate Plastic), attended by Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italy's Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, makes it one of the first facilities in Europe equipped to meet the growing demand for recycled plastics expected in the short to medium term under new EU regulations, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulation.

R3GID is among the most innovative plants in its sector in Europe and can process up to 30,000 tonnes of high-quality recycled polymers annually, with properties comparable to virgin materials derived from fossil feedstocks and a certified purity level of over 99% ^[1].

With an investment totalling €48.8 million, including €7.7 million in direct funding from Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Hera Group is providing Italian industry with a facility capable of recycling rigid plastic waste from both municipal and industrial sources. This includes sectors such as automotive, cosmetics, home and personal care, consumer electronics and furniture, which generate materials that are generally not recyclable and would therefore be sent for energy recovery or to landfill.

"R3GID is a clear example of how Italy can anticipate the challenges posed by new European regulations, from the PPWR to the ELV Regulation, and turn them into opportunities for industrial growth," said Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security. "This plant combines Italian technology, an entirely Italian supply chain and a certified, traceable product with quality comparable to virgin raw materials. Producing secondary raw materials locally means strengthening the country's competitiveness, reducing dependence on foreign markets and making our supply chains more secure, even in the face of geopolitical tensions and price volatility. Facilities such as this benefit the country as a whole."

"Europe currently has plastics recycling capacity of 13.5 million tonnes, but only 3.5 million tonnes for rigid plastics, including approximately 440,000 tonnes ^[2]. By 2040, an additional 5.7 million tonnes ^[2]of recycled rigid plastics will be needed: a substantial gap - said Orazio Iacono, Chief Executive Officer of Hera Group. R3GID is our response as a first mover. It provides Italian manufacturers with high-quality, locally produced materials, reducing import costs and ensuring security of supply."

Hera Group developed the plant using best available technologies. NEXTCHEM, a MAIRE Group company, participated in the project as a technology partner, providing its proprietary NX Replast™ technology, an advanced solution for plastics upcycling. The plant's equipment and technologies enable the production of high-purity recycled polymers and compounds designed to replace virgin fossil-based materials in high-value-added applications. They also enable the development of tailor-made materials to meet specific functional, mechanical, aesthetic and regulatory requirements, expanding the potential uses of recycled plastics even in the most demanding market segments.

With the Modena plant, the expansion of the facility in Borgolavezzaro (Novara) dedicated to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) recycling, and the acquisition of a 70% stake in Kronos Polymer Polska, also an LDPE specialist and expected to complete by the end of 2026, will enable Aliplast to double its recycling capacity and increase its operational flexibility. Annual capacity for high-quality secondary plastic raw materials will exceed 210,000 t/y, with total production capacity reaching 255,000 t/y.

^[1] Technical data on machinery and performance tests carried out by Aliplast
^[2] "HDPE & PP Rigids Market in Europe – State of Play" (2023) by Plastics Recyclers Europe & ICIS Independent Commodity Intelligence Services

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