French recycler plans to double production

Suez Environnement hopes to double its production of recycled plastics in Europe within five years, the company said.

Paris-based Suez has opened PLAST’lab, which the company calls “a laboratory dedicated to plastic recycling” to help reach that goal.

“PLAST’lab will allow us to make greater strides towards improving the quality and quantity of recycled plastics and is entirely consistent with our determination to place the circular economy at the heart of or strategy,” CEO Jean-Louis Chaussade said in a statement.

Suez, through its SITA waste management and recycling subsidiary, is able to sort and prepare more than 440,000 tons of plastic waste each year, the company said. About 148,500 tons are recycled by the company’s own plants.

“By focusing on plastic recycling, we are confirming our role as a key player in the achievement of Europe’s targets for the recycling of household waste, set at 50% by 2020,” Chaussade said in the statement.

PLAST’lab allows the company to “analyze, test and classify plastic materials and formulate new ranges of plastics from recycled plastics that meet the demands of manufacturers,” the company said.

The laboratory, Suez said, is unique because it focuses on manufacturers’ demand and specifications for recycled plastics.

The company is looking to partner with companies that consume recycled plastics to find what it calls “tailored” solutions for their needs.

Plastics production in Europe has increased by more than 150 times during the past five decades, with annual production at 55 million tons, Suez said. About 25% of Europe’s 27.5 million tons of plastic waste is recycled each year, the company said.