Veolia to build UK-first “tray to tray” PET recycling facility

Veolia launches its biggest UK plastics recycling project with a £70 million investment which will include the country’s first “tray to tray” closed-loop PET recycling facility in Battlefield near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

This initiative forms part of the company’s broader commitment to the circular economy in the UK, with total investments set to reach around £1 billion by 2030. Construction on the facility has begun, with plans for the site to be operational by early 2026.

The UK does not have a closed-loop facility to recycle PET trays into food grade materials due to the difficulty in achieving the required standards.

Veolia has used its world-leading expertise to bring this technology to the UK’s domestic recycling industry. The Shrewsbury facility will shred, wash and flake PET plastic from trays and bottles to be recycled into food grade low carbon new packaging, bolstering supply in a boost to the UK grocery industry.

The plant will sort around 80,000 tons of mixed plastics annually, collected from homes and businesses across the country, and will contribute to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, as using recycled plastic can save up to 70% of the CO2 that would otherwise be associated with the use of virgin materials.

Veolia also launched a new process for the treatment of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) fire suppressants containing PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) ahead of a UK ban that came into force on 1 July 2025.