Doğa: PET bottle-to-bottle recycling plant opened in Turkey – Two Starlinger recycling lines put into operation

Doğapet operates two Starlinger "recoStar PET 165 HC iV+" PET bottle-to-bottle recycling lines with an output capacity of 1.8 tons per hour each - (Pictures: Doğapet).

The Istanbul-based construction and real estate group Doğa recently commissioned two Starlinger PET bottle-to-bottle recycling lines at its new PET recycling plant in Kırklareli.

Starlinger’s food-grade PET recycling process has been approved by FDA, EFSA and many international brand owners.

The recycling plant, operated under the name ‘Doğapet’, is located in the city of Kırklareli in the Marmara province near the Bulgarian border. The two Starlinger "recoStar PET 165 HC iV+ PET" recycling lines went into operation during the fourth quarter of 2024 and together achieve an output of 3.6 tonnes of bottle-grade rPET granulate per hour, which corresponds to a total capacity of 28,000 tonnes per year. The Starlinger PET bottle-to-bottle recycling process is approved by national and international authorities such as the FDA and EFSA, as well as major brand owners, for food applications.

"We expect the plastic recycling sector to grow in importance and attract further investment, particularly in the bottle-to-bottle sector", says Selçuk Gökhan Gerlikhan, Managing Director of Doğapet. "An increasing number of countries are introducing regulations that require the use of raw materials obtained through recycling. We expect that the requirements in Turkey will also become more stringent in the coming years as part of the zero waste targets."

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As the machine manufacturer further explains, the use of bottle-grade rPET obtained through mechanical recycling is currently prohibited in Turkey in the food sector; only rPET produced by chemical recycling may be processed into new beverage bottles or food containers. However, it is expected that the bureaucratic processes required to authorise mechanically recycled PET for bottle-to-bottle applications and the introduction of a deposit system for plastic bottles will be completed in the course of 2025.

Doğapet currently sources the PET bottles for recycling in Turkey. As in many other countries, the collection and pre-sorting of plastic waste is in the hands of the private sector, although the government is preparing to implement measures such as the bottle deposit system mentioned earlier. ‘Pre-sorting of used PET packaging in Turkey is very good, and so is the quality of the material,’ explains Gerlikhan. ‘In addition to the input material that we currently receive from the separate waste collection, we will also be able to obtain raw material from the PET bottle deposit system once it is set up. When we are ready and able to increase our processing capacity, we will also process material from outside Turkey if needed.’

Doğapet aims to supply the bottle-grade rPET to global beverage and water companies that are important brands in their industries.

"We have invested at the right time to offer environmentally friendly solutions for Turkey's changing needs", says Selçuk Gerlikhan. "Demand for food-grade recyclates in Turkey is high. We expect demand to increase in neighbouring countries, particularly in the European Union, due to the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive, which comes into force in 2025. We at Doğa have high hopes for our PET bottle-to-bottle recycling project and plan to continue investing in this sector in line with developments."

About Doğa
Founded in 1968, the Doğa Group is active in the fields of construction and real estate, renewable energies, textile production and defence. Doğapet was founded in 2023 to expand the group's diverse portfolio to include PET recycling.

More information: www.starlinger.com, www.dogapet.com.tr/en/

Starlinger & Co. GmbH, Vienna, Austria

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