CleanR opens the most modern plastic recycling plant in the Baltics in the Ķekava region.

On Wednesday, March 29, Latvia’s leading household waste management company, CleanR, opened the most modern plastic recycling plant in the Baltics in Ķekava Municipality. This facility will now be able to recycle types of plastic that were previously impossible to process in Latvia, according to the plant’s manager, Kaspars Fogelmanis.

From now on, Latvia will also be able to recycle polystyrene, which we commonly see in yogurt containers, children’s toys, dishes, and lighting elements. Additionally, it will be able to process ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resins) and its composites, a type of plastic widely used in the production of car parts and interior elements such as panels, shields, window frames, mirror housings, and many others. This type of plastic is also common in the manufacturing of electronic device housings, as well as in the textile and construction industries.

Guntars Levics, a board member of CleanR Group, emphasized that with the opening of this plant, the company’s waste management operations can now be considered zero-waste. “We can now provide the entire cycle, giving plastic a second life—from collection to recycled products like granules and flakes, which are turned into everyday items such as electronic device housings, packaging, interior elements, even clothing and fashion accessories. This demonstrates that what was once used is a resource that can be given a second life, not waste,” said Levics.

The CleanR plastic recycling plant is equipped with industry-leading technology, allowing it to produce up to 1,000 tons of granules and flakes per month, nearly 100% of which are exported.

“This plant is a success story, as it implements the core principles of a circular economy in Latvia, turning waste into a resource. It is also a contribution to the European Union’s Green Deal policy, which we are committed to fulfilling as a country and as a society. We definitely need more such plants to achieve environmental goals,” stressed Māris Sprindžuks, the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.

Juris Žilko, the chairman of the Ķekava Municipality Council, highlighted the importance of the new plant for the region. “Our philosophy is based on the belief that we have borrowed the Earth from our children, not inherited it from our parents. Therefore, it is our responsibility to take proper care of it. And if that isn’t motivation enough, perhaps the fact that sorting your waste means lower daily utility bills, and recycling it can even bring income. The new plant brings new jobs for residents and tax revenues for the municipal budget, which can then be reinvested in infrastructure development,” said Žilko.

He also added that the Ķekava Municipality is proud to have one more sustainability-oriented plant in the region. “It sends a strong signal to other businesses that Ķekava is open for business and focused on growth and development,” Žilko added.

Fogelmanis explained that what sets the CleanR plastic recycling plant apart from other similar facilities is the technology used. The plant is equipped with production lines from industry-leading brands, and the technological process involves washing the material five times before extrusion, ensuring that the recycled material is particularly clean and suitable for producing higher-quality products.

Importantly, the technology used in the construction and setup of the plant meets the strictest environmental and workplace safety standards.

Elita Baklāne-Ansberga, Director-General of the State Environmental Service, emphasized that the service conducted thorough inspections and approvals before, during, and after the construction of the plant. “We expect that the company will strictly adhere to the set conditions and technological processes in its daily operations, creating new resources from waste in the most environmentally friendly way,” added Baklāne-Ansberga.

The plant’s opening was attended by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks, Ķekava Municipality Council Chairman Juris Žilko, the CleanR Group’s management, and other invited guests. A ceremonial start was given to the plant’s operations, and attendees had the opportunity to tour the facility.

It was previously reported that CleanR Group invested €5.4 million in the construction and equipment of the plastic recycling plant, of which €1.26 million was co-financed by the European Union’s Cohesion Fund, and 65% came from the company’s own investments. The plant’s construction began in 2022.

In January of this year, CleanR Group also opened Latvia’s most modern sorting center for separately collected waste on Vietalvas Street, where plastic is received and sorted before being sent to the plant for recycling. The CleanR plastic recycling plant specializes in the recycling of LDPE, HDPE, and PP, including packaging from food, agriculture, construction materials, and the automotive industry, such as various bags, fruit crates, big-bag sacks, hygiene and household chemical packaging, drums, and plastic elements from cars.