Belgian-Dutch Start-up Cancels Ostend Recycling Project Amid Cheap Imports
Ostend, Wednesday, 8 January 2025.
Advanced Plastic Purification cancels its Ostend recycling facility due to unfeasible economics, challenged by cheap Chinese plastic imports, highlighting global pressures on European green initiatives.
Project Scale and Initial Plans
The ambitious recycling project, planned by Belgian-Dutch start-up Advanced Plastic Purification International (APPI), was set to establish a significant presence in Ostend’s port area. The facility was designed to process 500000 tons of plastic waste annually through maritime transport and would have created 110 jobs in the region [1][2]. The project was well-advanced in its planning stages, with construction plans finalized and environmental permits in process [1].
Economic Challenges
Port CEO Dirk Declerck explained that the primary reason for the project’s cancellation was the market disruption caused by cheap ‘virgin plastics’ from China [1]. The influx of these low-cost materials fundamentally undermined the project’s business model, as recycled products became more expensive than their virgin counterparts [1]. The facility, which would have occupied a 15-hectare site, was originally scheduled to begin operations by mid-2025 [2][3].
Future Prospects
Despite this setback, the Port of Ostend has already secured an alternative opportunity in the sector. According to Declerck, a new agreement has been signed with another company, though the employment impact will be smaller than the original APPI project [1]. The identity of this new venture is yet to be announced, maintaining some optimism for the port’s sustainable development initiatives [1].