Indorama Ventures, a global sustainable chemical company, and AMB Spa, one of Europe’s leading packaging solutions providers, have unveiled a next-generation PET multi-layer tray designed for recycling. The new design is intended to meet the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and accelerate circularity for complex food packaging.
The jointly developed tray structure embeds recycled PET flakes within the core, while applying virgin food-grade PET to the outer layers.
Indorama said the design matches food safety, optical clarity, and sealing performance that brand owners and regulators require, while substantially increasing recycled content. The tray also remains recyclable after use, creating a material-to-material circular loop that keeps PET in high-value applications.
The solution aligns with future recyclability and recycled-content requirements under the PPWR, including the target of reaching an average of 30% recycled content in plastic packaging by 2030
Multi-layer trays are essential in protecting food products, extending shelf life and reducing food waste. The company pointed to a 2024 case study that showed PET trays extended shelf life from 6 to 15 days, reducing average food waste from 47% to 15%.
Today, around 30% of PET trays in Europe are collected for recycling. “This solution demonstrates that multi-layer trays can meet circularity goals in practice, not just on paper,” said Paolo Cescutti, chief procurement officer at AMB Spa. “It proves that innovation and collaboration can unlock new recycling pathways, even for the most complex packaging waste streams.”
“A scalable innovation like this enables the tray industry to maintain high performance while moving decisively toward Europe’s circular-economy ambitions,” said Andy Motta, business director for Europe and Türkiye, CPET, at Indorama Ventures. “It reflects our commitment to solutions that strengthen recycling systems.”
Production of the new multi-layer tray structure is already active at Indorama Ventures’ Verdun recycling facility in France. Finished trays are being supplied to customers in the UK, with broader European deployment in progress.