Environment and environmental impacts

As a manufacturing company, ALPLA is reliant on resources such as energy, gas, fossil resources and water. We are aware of how important it is to the future of the planet and to future generations that we use these resources efficiently. We understand efficient use to mean getting as much as possible out of the raw materials. We wish to use them wisely and keep them within the materials cycle. The professional collection and recycling of plastics prevent them from polluting the environment and being harmful there.

Production energy efficiency

ALPLA has always set especially great store by the efficient and responsible use of energy and resources. For ALPLA, a state-of-the-art infrastructure is the key factor when it comes to energy management. A dedicated team conducts annual plant energy assessments at selected sites. On average, five to six sites undergo such a thorough assessment every year. The savings potential following a successful assessment is around 10 per cent.

ALPLA uses renewable energy sources to reduce carbon emissions. The company draws on a portfolio that includes its own photovoltaic systems, green electricity supply contracts, PPAs (power purchase agreements) and the purchase of guarantees of origin. In Austria, Germany, the UK and Turkey, for example, 100% of the electricity required by the base and recycling sites is covered by renewable energy.

In other countries, such as Spain and Portugal, over 75% of electricity requirements are covered by renewable energy. It is also possible to cover the energy requirements of individual plants with renewable energy via guarantees of origin, such as for our customers in Oudenaarde in Belgium.

Materials management

Thanks to modern technologies and sophisticated design, packaging weight can be kept as light as possible. This allows us to reduce material consumption and costs – and conserve fossil resources. To achieve this, we at ALPLA work closely with our suppliers, research institutes and, of course, our customers. ALPLA also has decades of experience in the production of recycled plastics and processing them into new packaging.

Our experts additionally work with plastics from renewable resources, otherwise known as bio-based plastics. Here, we also consider factors such as competition with the food industry for these materials and also their recyclability.

ALPLA does not use materials and substances that are harmful to the environment, such as PVC, plasticisers and heavy metals.

Greenhouse gas emissions

At a company like ALPLA, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases are caused by a various factors. These include the raw materials processed, our production operations, the operating materials, the transportation of our products, packaging and our employees’ journeys to and from work.

Since 2007, we have been systematically recording the greenhouse gas emissions caused by ALPLA’s electricity consumption. This data serves as the basis for strategic measures that reduce and offset the emissions we cannot avoid. The carbon footprint is used as a metric. In addition to carbon dioxide, this covers other greenhouse gases which are converted into volumes of carbon dioxide based on their climate impacts.

CO₂ calculation and certificates

We are happy to help our customers develop sustainable packaging solutions. We calculate carbon emissions based on the current regulations and issue corresponding certificates.
We would be happy to advise you, ideally in a personal consultation. Please contact our Sales team or the ALPLA Sustainability Management department: sustainability@alpla.com.

Climate Neutrality Alliance

ALPLA founded the Climate Neutrality Alliance 2025 together with other Vorarlberg companies in 2015. The regional initiative quickly developed into an Austrian alliance with over 100 members. Its aim is to make the carbon footprint climate-neutral. ALPLA’s sites in Vorarlberg already achieved this target in 2018.

Water and waste management

We need water for cooling purposes in our production processes as well as for drinking and process water. Our goal is to promote systematic data collection and continuously reduce consumption.