When it comes to tackling climate change, Ireland’s Climate Action Plan sets ambitious targets to reduce waste, cut emissions, and accelerate the circular economy. Directly aligned with this ambition is Novelplast, an innovative plastic recycling company based in the Gaeltacht in Co. Meath. Founded in 2019 by Neil Skeffington, Novelplast has quickly grown into Ireland’s largest plastic recycler, with the capacity to process 33,000 tonnes of material each year.

Unlike traditional recyclers, Novelplast has carved out a unique role in the industry by focusing exclusively on PET materials that are typically more difficult to recycle, and therefore often end up in landfill or incineration. Today, Novelplast stands alone in Europe as the only company recycling these challenging plastics at scale. By recovering value from materials others cannot process, the company is directly contributing to Ireland’s circular economy targets while preventing thousands of tonnes of plastic from entering the waste stream.

Scaling Sustainable Growth

As Novelplast looks to the future, it is committed not only to scaling its operations but also to building a strong culture of sustainability within its leadership team. Through its participation in the Accelerate Green (AG) programme, the company focused on refining its strategy for expansion, strengthening ESG credentials, and developing networks with likeminded entrepreneurs in the sustainability space in Ireland. With its first acquisition planned for 2025, Novelplast is positioning itself to play an even larger role in Ireland’s green economy.

Aligned with National Climate Goals

Novelplast’s mission is fully aligned with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan’s ambition to reduce Ireland’s dependence on virgin plastics and lower carbon emissions across the supply chain. By creating new value from difficult-to-recycle PET, Novelplast is reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste while supporting domestic recycling infrastructure. Each tonne processed represents a tangible step towards Ireland’s climate targets, helping to keep materials in use for longer and cutting reliance on imports of recycled plastics.

A Vision for the Future

Looking ahead, Novelplast has set an ambitious goal: to recycle 100,000 tonnes of PET plastic annually by 2029. Achieving this milestone would represent a threefold increase in its current capacity and significantly bolster Ireland’s ability to meet EU recycling and emissions reduction targets.

Novelplast’s journey demonstrates how Irish innovation can drive real climate impact. With every tonne of PET it recycles, Novelplast is not only helping Ireland meet its climate obligations, but also to create a cleaner, more resilient future.