Nextek and Coveris Take Top Recycling Honour at UK Packaging Awards for COtooCLEAN

The project addresses a major challenge in plastics recycling: removing contaminants from post-consumer flexible packaging so that the recovered plastic can be recycled and used again in food-contact applications.

How COtooCLEAN works

COtooCLEAN uses supercritical CO₂ purification technology to remove embedded contaminants from post-consumer polyolefin films. Through the collaboration between Nextek and Coveris, the technology is being successfully demonstrated at industrial scale for flexible plastic packaging applications. Designed to produce high-quality recycled material suitable for food-contact packaging, subject to regulatory approval, it supports greater circularity for flexible plastics.

A fully operational demonstration plant, located at Coveris' manufacturing site in Louth, Lincolnshire, is generating the operational data required to support regulatory approvals while demonstrating the technology's scalability and commercial potential for flexible packaging applications. With funding support from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, the facility builds on Coveris' existing recycling capabilities and represents an important step towards increasing the availability of food-grade recycled content for flexible packaging.

Award for food-grade recycling of flexible films

The award recognises the successful collaboration between Nextek and Coveris in advancing food-grade recycling for post-consumer flexible plastics, combining Nextek's innovative purification technology with Coveris' expertise in recycling and packaging to accelerate the transition towards a more circular economy.

Celebrating excellence, innovation and leadership across the packaging value chain, the UK Packaging Awards took place on Wednesday 7^th October in London.

Edward Kosior, Founder and CEO of Nextek said: “We are delighted that the COtooCLEAN demonstration plant has been named Packaging Recycling Project of the Year at the UK Packaging Awards. Flexible film is one of the hardest waste streams to recycle back into food-grade material, and this recognition from the industry shows how much it matters. It is a credit to our team and to our partners at Coveris and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, whose support has helped us take COtooCLEAN from the lab to an operational demonstration plant. With four further award nominations still to come, the momentum behind this technology is really building.”

Christian Kolarik, Coveris CEO, added: "We are proud to see COtooCLEAN recognised with this award. The project demonstrates what can be achieved through strong partnerships and a shared commitment to advancing circularity for flexible plastics. Working alongside Nextek, we have helped take this technology from development into a fully operational demonstration plant, bringing us closer to enabling food-grade recycling for post-consumer flexible packaging. This recognition reflects the progress made in transforming an ambitious concept into a practical solution for the industry.”

PolyFlex Thermoform shortlisted

Coveris was also shortlisted in the Best New Concept category at the UK Packaging Awards 2026 for PolyFlex Thermoform. The high-barrier thermoforming solution made its bakery debut this summer with Signature Flatbreads and Al'Fez. Developed as a recycle-ready nylon-free polyolefin structure, PolyFlex Thermoform supports the UK's transition towards kerbside collection of soft plastic packaging under Simpler Recycling.