Tomra, AB Plasta advance recyclable film Solutions in the Baltics

LITHUANIA — AB Plasta, a Vilnius-based film recycler and part of CEDO Group, has adopted a new flexible film recycling line powered by Tomra Recycling’s AutoSort SpeedAir and Tomra Insight.

The integration aims to produce high-purity post-consumer recycled (PCR) film while improving operational efficiency and material recovery rates.

AB Plasta, one of the largest polyethylene (PE) recyclers in Central and Eastern Europe, operates a fully integrated recycling and manufacturing facility capable of producing 35,000 metric tonnes of recyclate annually.

The plant runs around the clock, processing both post-consumer and commercial film waste streams.

“AB Plasta needed a solution that would enable fully recycled content in its products without compromising quality,” explained Michał Bula, Sales Manager at Tomra Recycling.

“The goal was clear: ensure stable 24/7 operation, achieve high throughput, and maintain exceptional purity levels that allow direct reuse in consumer products.”

The advanced system combines sensor-based sorting with raw material optimization, allowing AB Plasta to handle contaminated, lightweight, and moisture-heavy flexible films, a known challenge in recycling.

The AutoSort SpeedAir stabilizes materials on the conveyor belt to maintain continuous high-speed processing, while Tomra Insight provides real-time data analytics for performance monitoring and process optimization.

Danas Poderis, Managing Director of AB Plasta, emphasized that sorting flexible packaging waste into high-quality fractions remains one of the industry’s most complex challenges.

“By adapting post-consumer material to our lines and integrating Tomra’s technology, we’ve overcome major barriers. We can now produce consistent, high-purity recyclates that meet the demanding expectations of our customers,” he said.

The partnership not only enhances circularity within AB Plasta’s operations but also supports compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which calls for increased recycled content in plastic packaging.

Across Europe, several companies are pursuing similar innovations in flexible film recycling. In Germany, APK AG has expanded its Newcycling solvent-based process to recover multilayer films, while Berry Global recently invested in advanced film reprocessing at its Leamington Spa site in the UK.

Likewise, Amcor and Sabic have collaborated on certified circular polyethylene films for food packaging.

Through this collaboration, Tomra and AB Plasta are reinforcing the Baltics’ role as a regional leader in film-to-film recycling, setting a new benchmark for scalable, high-quality PCR production in Europe’s flexible packaging sector.

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