Following its announcement last year, the COtooCLEANTM demonstration plant developed by Nextek and Coveris, and supported by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, is now fully operational at Coveris’ ReCover site in Lincolnshire, UK. This marks a major step forward in advanced recycling of flexible films.
The plant showcases a breakthrough purification technology designed to convert post-consumer polyolefin (PE and PP) film waste into high-quality recycled resin suitable for food-grade applications. This operational phase represents a critical preparation step in tackling one of the industry’s most complex challenges: enabling safe, compliant food-grade recycling from post-consumer flexible packaging.
Developed by Nextek and scaled in partnership with Coveris, COtooCLEAN tackles the persistent challenge of embedded contaminants in plastic films by using supercritical CO₂ extraction. In this ‘supercritical’ state –– where CO₂ exhibits both gas-like and liquid-like properties –– the fluid can penetrate deep into the polymer structure, flowing like a gas while dissolving contaminants like a liquid. This enables the effective removal of oils, odours and residual legacy substances that conventional mechanical recycling cannot fully eliminate.
According to Edward Kosior, founder of Nextek and a recognised leader in polymer circularity, COtooCLEAN’s high purification performance provides a critical complementary step to unlock higher-quality recycled materials and enable true circularity for flexible films.
By enabling significantly higher decontamination performance, the technology promises to pave the way for increased availability of food-grade recycled content by supporting regulatory compliance and reducing reliance on virgin materials.
This first-of-its-kind plant, built with the funding support from Alliance to End Plastic Waste, will allow the project to enter into its industrial phase, beginning in April 2026. This phase will enable the development of larger-scale operational experience and the generation of the data required for European regulatory approval, while demonstrating both scalability and commercial viability.
“This project marks the next step in advancing Coveris’ No Waste vision, with ReCover playing a central role in keeping plastics circular. With COtooCLEAN now fully operational, we are taking an important step in preparing to solve the food-grade recycling challenge for flexible films. Together with our advanced de-inking technologies, this innovation strengthens our mechanical recycling capabilities, opens the next phase of solutions for more demanding applications”, comments Bernhard Mumelter, Group Innovation Manager at Coveris Group.
“COtooCLEAN has the potential to improve both the rate and quality of flexible plastics recycling. This demonstration plant is an important step in validating the technology and supporting its path to wider deployment. It also reflects the Alliance’s commitment to advancing practical, scalable solutions. By accelerating innovation and working with partners across the value chain, we are working to turn progress into real systems change,” said Jacob Duer, President and CEO, Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
Industrial-scale trials will begin in April 2026 to generate the two years of data required by European regulators, while also showcasing the technology to industry.