R3GID turns the circular economy into reality
In Modena, within the Hera Group facility hub on via Cavazza, Aliplast has built one of Europe’s most advanced plants for rigid plastic recycling. The new site recycles rigid plastic waste from industrial flows and municipal collection, turning high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) – among the most complex plastic materials to recycle effectively – into high-quality regenerated polymers, ready to become part again of the production cycle in strategic sectors such as automotive, home appliances, packaging and consumer electronics.
Supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), the project is one of the most significant investments in Italy in recent years in the mechanical recycling of plastic. It marks a strategic step towards a more independent, resilient and competitive recycling supply chain, at a time when the 2026 European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and its binding recycled-content targets are making such investments all the more urgent.
The plant is located next to the Hera Group’s waste-to-energy plant and waste water treatment plant, using their electricity and process water respectively, thereby closing a virtuous cycle of industrial symbiosis.
Orazio Iacono, Chief Executive Officer, Hera Group
From recycled plastic to new applications
The secondary raw materials obtained from recycling rigid plastic are designed to deliver high performance and can be used in a wide range of manufacturing sectors, including cosmetic packaging, home care, furnishings, home appliances, automotive and consumer electronics.
