GERMANY – LyondellBasell, a chemical company, has finalized plans to construct its maiden industrial-scale catalytic advanced recycling demonstration plant at its Wesseling site.
This innovative facility, employing LyondellBasell’s MoReTec technology, marks a pioneering leap by establishing the inaugural commercial-scale, single-train advanced recycling plant.
Its purpose is to convert post-consumer plastic waste into feedstock for generating new plastic materials while operating at net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Anticipated to process 50,000 tonnes annually, this plant aims to recycle plastic packaging waste equivalent to that produced by over 1.2 million German citizens yearly, with completion slated by the end of 2025.
Peter Vanacker, LYB CEO, underscores the commitment to combat global plastic waste challenges and promote circular economies: “Scaling up our catalytic advanced recycling technology will enable us to reintroduce larger volumes of plastic waste into the value chain. This approach ensures heightened production of high-quality materials, striving to preserve plastic value over extended periods.”
The LYB MoReTec demonstration plant targets plastics challenging to recycle, like mixed or flexible materials usually destined for landfills or incineration.
Source One Plastics, a joint venture of LYB and 23 Oaks Investments formed in October 2022, will predominantly supply sorted processed feedstock.
The advanced recycled feedstock derived from the MoReTec facility will fuel the production of polymers marketed by LYB under the CirculenRevive product line. These polymers will find application in diverse sectors, including medical and food packaging.
MoReTec’s technology generates pyrolysis oil and gas, with the former serving as a substitute for fossil-based materials in polymer production.
Unlike conventional methods, MoReTec recovers pyrolysis gas, used to produce polymer and displace fossil-based feedstocks, thereby reducing direct CO2 emissions.
Additionally, its catalyst technology slashes process temperatures, minimizes energy consumption, and augments yield.
By relying on lower energy consumption and harnessing electricity, potentially sourced from renewables, MoReTec operates at net zero GHG emissions.
Its unique advantages span recovering pyrolysis gas, diminished energy demands, electrical heating design, fossil feedstock displacement, and diverting waste plastic from incineration or landfills.
This amalgamation results in a markedly reduced carbon footprint relative to fossil-based procedures, distinguishing MoReTec as an unparalleled value proposition.
Last month, LyondellBasell acquired a 50% stake in Rodepa Vastgoed, the holding company of De Paauw Sustainable Resources (DPSR).
DPSR is a Dutch plastic waste recycling company that expertise in the sourcing, processing, and trading of post-consumer and post-industrial plastic packaging waste.
For all the latest packaging and printing industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
