Environmental services company Republic Services has opened its polymer centre in Las Vegas, Nevada, US.

The facility, which is claimed to be the first of its kind, will improve plastic circularity and address the increasing demand for recycled material.

The centre will process containers, plastic bottles, and jugs that are collected from homes and businesses to produce recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) flakes and colour-sorted high-density PE and polypropylene for use in sustainable packaging.

With an annual production capacity of more than 100 million pounds of recycled plastics, the factory will extend the life cycle of collected plastic packaging and transform plastic bottles into new bottles up to seven times.

Republic president and CEO Jon Vander Ark said: "The Republic Services Polymer Center will supply high-quality, domestically sourced recycled plastic to advance a critical need for more sustainable packaging.

"As a leader in the environmental services industry, it's our responsibility to challenge every truckload of material we collect. The polymer centre is another example of our commitment to developing solutions that promote greater circularity and help customers achieve their sustainability goals."

Beverage business The Coca-Cola Company is one of the first clients of the polymer centre, with the company expecting to receive a delivery of rPET from the facility starting next year.

The carbonated drinks manufacturer has pledged to use at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030.

Republic plans to expand the Polymer Center’s footprint across the US, with plans for a second facility set to open later in 2024.