PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC) has opened Southeast Asia’s largest plant producing high-quality and food-grade recycled plastic resins, aiming to recycle 60,000 tonnes of used plastics annually.
Kongkrapan Intrajang, chief executive of PTTGC, said the plastic recycling facility will be operated by Envicco, a joint venture with a 70% investment from PTTGC and 30% from Alpla Co, a subsidiary of Austria-based Alpla Group, an international plastic manufacturer and recycler.
The Envicco plant will use world-class technology to produce high-quality recycled plastic pellets, he said.
PTTGC expects the plastic recycling business to be part of its net-zero campaign seeking to balance greenhouse gas emissions and absorption.
The company earlier announced it would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030 and achieve a net-zero goal by 2050.
The plastic recycling plant, located in the Asia Industrial Estate in Map Ta Phut, Rayong, aims to reduce the amount of plastic by 60,000 tonnes per year, helping to cut 75,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to reforestation covering up to 78,000 rai, according to PTTGC.
The factory also supports PTTGC’s long-term plan based on the bio-, circular and green economic model, which involves upcycling processes to make value-added products.
“Thanks to our invaluable partnership with PTTGC, the Envicco facility stands at the forefront of our industry and will definitely play an important part in Alpla’s recycling business in Asia,” said Gunther Lehner, chairman of Alpla.
Using modern technologies, Envicco will turn used plastic materials into safe products for consumers, he said.
The new factory has a maximum production capacity of 45,000 tonnes of recycled plastic resins each year, comprising 30,000 tonnes of recycled polyethylene terephthalate resin and 15,000 tonnes of recycled high-density polyethylene resin.
The Thai government is trying to curb the amount of plastic garbage, especially single-use plastic bags.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has banned all single-use plastic bags and styrene foam since April. Tourists are not allowed to bring these materials into the parks.
Many operators of shopping malls also joined the government’s campaign against plastic garbage by no longer providing free single-use plastic bags to their customers, though the bags are still widely used by smaller vendors.
Last year, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha vowed during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference that Thailand would be more aggressive in addressing climate change and strive to reach carbon neutrality, a balance between carbon dioxide emissions and absorption, by 2050, and a net-zero target by 2065.
