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Leadec & Jayplas Collaborate on Innovative Closed Loop Film Recycling Project

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Over the course of 12 months, Leadec and Jayplas have collaborated on an exciting project to recycle and reuse plastic packaging waste, creating a true closed loop process. The waste LDPE film collected by Jayplas from Leadec’s operation at Halewood has been recycled and manufactured at Jayplas Uk facilities to produce plastic sacks with 100% recycled content for internal use at the Leadec’s operations in Halewood.

The first step was for both parties to agree on the specifications both for the types of film that could be recycled and the end product. This was followed by trials of the collection and recycling of the film waste and supply of finished plastic sack, made with 100% recycled PCR.

The process from a waste product to a finished recycled plastic sack involved both companies working together, the Leadec team doing a pre-sort by hand sorting the agreed film waste at the on-site Recycling Hub, of their customer ready for transportation by Jayplas, to their fully automated flexible plastic segregation facility in Smethwick, Birmingham.

The Jayplas facility in Smethwick using its Optical Near-Infrared (NIR) sorting system, sorts again the incoming bales by polymer type and colour. The sorted bales are then transferred to the Jayplas washing and pelletising facility in Loughborough. The PCR pellet produced from the facility in Loughborough are then transferred to Jayplas Flexible Packaging Division at Worksop, where the sacks are blown and converted to the agreed specification. The finished sacks are manufactured with 100% PCR recycled polymer, and supplied back to Halewood, this site in Halewood uses approximately 250,000 sacks annually, which equates to approx. 32.5 tonnes of film waste being recycled back into the plastic supply chain, reducing the use of virgin polymers though this collaboration of Leadec and Jayplas.

A spokesperson for Jayplas said that this project was an outstanding example of collaboration, which has showcased the benefits of creating synergies between the respective companies. “It shows how it is possible to close the loop, keeping the cycle of material within the UK,” they continued, “and we are delighted to supply Leadec’s Halewood operations with our service.”

With its Green Factory Solutions, Leadec offers a green service portfolio along the entire factory life cycle. The Leadec UK Green Hub, which focuses on zero waste services, is just one of a network that the company has created in Europe. Kris Fearnley, Waste Manager for Leadec Halewood, noted that “this circular economy project epitomises our drive to counter climate change, demonstrating how we support our customers with sustainable services on their way to zero-emission factories.”

Jayplas is a leading innovator at the forefront of plastic recycling in the UK and is one of the UK’s largest independent specialist plastic recyclers, converters, and recycled plastic packaging manufacturers. Supporting the circular economy, since 1975, Jayplas helps businesses meet their plastic packaging sustainability goals and regulatory requirements. Jayplas operates eight recycling and recycled product manufacturing facilities across the UK, each facility specialises in various polymer types and process, including LDPE. HDPE PP and PET.

Leadec is the leading global service specialist for factories across their entire life cycle and related infrastructure. The company employed around 23,000 people worldwide in 2023 and earned sales of more than EUR 1.24 billion. Leadec has been supporting its customers for more than 60 years and is based at more than 350 sites, often directly at the customers’ plants and facilities. Since 1999, Leadec Limited has provided professionally managed solutions to maximise productivity and increase first time quality. For more information about Leadec UK go to https://united-kingdom.leadec-services.com.

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