New partnership addresses end-of-life disposal challenges for modular plastic belting as industry faces growing sustainability pressure.

Bakeries and food manufacturers across Europe now have access to a certified recycling solution for modular plastic conveyor belting, following a partnership between conveyor specialist Intralox, waste management firm PreZero and Recycling Service Centrum (RSC) in The Netherlands.

The initiative addresses a longstanding challenge in the baking industry: how to responsibly dispose of food-grade plastic conveyor components that have reached the end of their operational life.

The Industry Challenge

End-of-life conveyor belting has historically presented disposal difficulties for food manufacturers. The materials, typically food-grade plastics including acetal (POM), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), or nylon (PA), cannot easily enter standard recycling streams due to contamination concerns and the need for specialised sorting by polymer type.

This has left many facilities with limited options beyond landfill or incineration, at a time when both regulatory requirements and corporate sustainability commitments are pushing manufacturers towards circular economy solutions.

The European Union's Circular Economy Action Plan continues to tighten requirements around plastic waste, whilst many major retailers now audit suppliers' environmental credentials, including end-of-life equipment management. For bakeries operating multiple sites or managing regular equipment refreshes, the cumulative volume of retired belting represents a significant waste stream.

How the System Operates

The recycling process uses closed-loop methodology: used belts are mechanically shredded, cleaned and sorted by polymer type before the resulting regrind re-enters the global plastics supply chain for use in new products.

Participating facilities must ensure belts are free from food debris and heavy residue before palletising them for collection. Materials can be shipped to the Amsterdam facility via existing carriers or through a dedicated DHL portal, with participants covering freight costs only, no processing fees apply.

The programme currently accepts most modular plastic belting types, though some products remain outside scope, including roller belts with metal axles, ThermoDrive belts made from thermoplastic polyurethane and certain polyketone belt configurations.

Broader Context

The initiative reflects wider industry movement towards closed-loop manufacturing systems. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, with industrial plastics representing a substantial portion of unrecovered materials.

Several food manufacturing sectors have faced similar challenges with specialist equipment containing food-grade plastics that fall outside standard municipal or commercial recycling programmes. Solutions have typically been piecemeal and region-specific.

Intralox has indicated it is exploring similar partnerships in North America, though no timeline has been confirmed. The company has requested that businesses aware of regional recycling resources make contact to support potential expansion.

Industry Response

The availability of a certified, no-fee recycling option could influence procurement decisions as sustainability criteria become weighted more heavily in equipment selection. Documented recycling through certified partners provides auditable evidence for corporate sustainability reporting and supply chain transparency requirements.

For medium-sized bakery operations replacing conveyor belting every few years, the programme could divert hundreds of kilogrammes of plastic from waste streams annually per facility.

Facilities interested in the programme can contact PreZero's Amsterdam operation directly. Technical queries about material eligibility should be directed to PreZero's Material Resource Manager for Plastics, John Geerts (john.geerts@prezero.com).