Turkish recycler PCR Ambalaj Atiklari Geri Kazanim (PAAG, Istanbul; www.paag.com.tr) recently announced the commissioning of a PET bottle-to-bottle recycling system at its Gebze plant near Istanbul. According to the manufacturer, the recoSTAR PET 165 HC iV+ from machine manufacturer Starlinger (Vienna; www.starlinger.com) has a production capacity of 1.8 t/h – which should correspond to a potential annual output of almost 14,000 t. No details were given about the investment sum.

The new plant marks PAAG’s first foray into bottle-to-bottle recycling. Previously, post-consumer PET, HDPE, and polypropylene packaging was processed at the Gebze plant. The recyclates are supplied to sister company Senapa Stampa, which also belongs to the Turkish Bell Group, as well as to other manufacturers of plastic packaging.

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PAAG also launched an initiative, To-Ka, to collect used PET bottles. To-Ka stands for ‘topla-kazan’ (‘collect-win’) and is intended to motivate citizens and companies to return used PET bottles via reverse vending machines at fuel stations and supermarkets. Bonus points are collected via an app, which in turn can be used as a means of payment. Citizens can also use the app to inform PAAG’s collectors, who will facilitate the collection of PET bottles from their doorsteps.

The To-Ka project has been running in the greater Istanbul area since May last year. The next step is to introduce it in 15 other major Turkish cities, said PAAG vice-president Bekir Öktenogl.