From arrival to transformation: what happens after the recycling bin

After leaving the recycling bin or the door-to-door selective collection, the package arrives at LIPOR. And this is where a new phase begins, less visible but essential.

At the entrance to the Automatic Packaging Sorting Line (TAE), everything is carefully examined. An initial check ensures that the waste corresponds to the plastic and metal packaging stream. Whenever something unexpected appears, those materials are removed to protect the proper functioning of the entire system.

The waste then moves to the feeding area. With the support of dedicated equipment, it is placed in a bunker where a bag opener releases the packaging. From this point onwards, everything starts to move. What was previously closed and mixed begins to loosen and separate, preparing for a more detailed process.

In this plant, opened in 2023, technology plays a central role. Through advanced systems and artificial intelligence, it is possible to identify different materials, track their path and improve the efficiency of the separation. The result is increased treatment capacity, higher quality recovered materials and a direct contribution to raising recycling rates.

Watch the process here.

Little by little, what once seemed like just waste becomes something with value. The packaging is organised, separated and prepared to be sent to the recycling industry, where it will gain a new life.

And the journey does not end here. In the next steps, we show how these materials are treated by us and return to our daily lives in new forms. Stay tuned and don’t miss the rest of the story.