Veolia Partners with PetStar to Reuse Wastewater from Recycling Operations

As a global leader in PET bottle recycling, PetStar processes 5.5 billion bottles annually, producing high-quality food-grade recycled resin that meets the highest quality standards.

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): Veolia Water Technologies, a world leader in water technologies, has implemented cutting-edge wastewater reuse technologies for PetStar, a wholly Mexican company recognized globally for its leadership in food-grade PET collection and recycling. These technologies enable the world’s largest food-grade PET recycling facility to advance towards its water neutrality goals. This partnership marks a significant milestone in PetStar’s three decades of resource conservation stewardship.

As a global leader in PET bottle recycling, PetStar processes 5.5 billion bottles annually, producing high-quality food-grade recycled resin that meets the highest quality standards. The company’s commitment to a circular economy now extends beyond plastic recycling to water conservation and regeneration, having found in Veolia an ally to advance its water neutrality goal. The advanced water reuse project commissioned by Veolia in 2025 enables PetStar to treat and reuse up to 550 cubic meters of wastewater per day from its recycling process, meeting quality standards set by NOM-001-SEMARNAT-2021 and significantly reducing underground water usage.

Founded in 1995, PetStar has served as a circular economy business model benchmark, addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste and plastic pollution through a human rights lens, aligned with the SDGs and Agenda 2030. Since 2011, the company has operated with the support of Arca Continental as its main shareholder, alongside Coca-Cola Mexico, Bepensa Bebidas, Corporación del Fuerte, Grupo RICA, Grupo Embotellador Nayar and Embotelladora de Colima, all part of Coca-Cola Bottling.

“PetStar’s commitment to sustainability has remained unwavering over 30 years, driving our process innovation to generate value for our shareholders, create positive social impact and promote resource regeneration, including water,“ said Carlos Mendieta, Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at PetStar Mexico. “Partnering with Veolia allows us to go beyond PET. By recycling our processed water we are taking another step towards a circular economy, achieving our water neutral commitments through water conservation, nature regeneration at the Nevado de Toluca, and rainwater harvesting from our green roofs — the four key pillars of our water footprint management.”

The novel wastewater reuse solutions implemented by Veolia include advanced proprietary technologies such as Densator™  for rapid sedimentation,  ZeeWeed™ Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), PROflex™ reverse osmosis process, and Aquaray™ UV disinfection technology. The reuse of process water thanks to the solution implemented by Veolia allows PetStar to reduce its dependence on natural resources, recovering 370 cubic meters of water daily — equivalent to half the daily consumption of the surrounding San Cayetano Morelos community.

Mauro Cruz, who heads Water Technologies activities for Veolia in Latin America, stated: “For Veolia, partnering with visionary companies like PetStar exemplifies the commitments we have made through our GreenUp strategic program. As their trusted partner in achieving water neutrality, we are demonstrating how the use of innovative technology can harmonize business growth with resource conservation. This collaboration proves that when industry leaders join forces, we can create sustainable solutions that protect our planet’s precious water resources while driving operational excellence.”

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com

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