PureCycle secures US$43M EU grant for 59,000 tonne PP recycling plant in Antwerp

BELGIUM – PureCycle Technologies has signed a €40 million (approximately US$43 million) grant agreement with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency to build a polypropylene dissolution recycling facility in Belgium’s Port of Antwerp-Bruges, targeting an annual production capacity of 59,000 tonnes of PureFive resin.

The ASTRA PP project, Advanced Solvent-based Technology for Recycling in Antwerp for Polypropylene, will be located in the NextGen District at the port.

It is one of 54 projects selected under the Innovation Fund’s 2024 Call for Net-Zero Technologies, which together will receive €2.7 billion (approximately US$2.9 billion) in funding.

By the Numbers: Environmental Impact

According to the Innovation Fund’s calculation methodology, the project is expected to achieve greenhouse gas emission avoidance of 85 percent relative to conventional fossil-based polypropylene production.

Once operational, the facility will produce 59,000 tonnes of PureFive resin annually, recycled polypropylene capable of serving as a drop-in replacement for virgin material in demanding applications including food packaging.

PureCycle has also applied for additional funding from Flemish regional officials.

The company’s technology, developed with Procter & Gamble, uses a solvent-based purification process that removes color, odor, and impurities from polypropylene waste.

Strategic European Expansion

Dustin Olson, PureCycle CEO, explained that the grant represents significant validation of the company’s dissolution recycling technology and Europe’s commitment to building a truly circular economy for plastics.

He noted that the Antwerp facility represents PureCycle’s strategic expansion into one of the world’s most demanding regulatory environments for sustainability.

PureCycle’s collaboration with Landbell Group, announced in early 2025, will supply PP waste from household collection systems as feedstock for the Antwerp plant, leveraging Landbell’s expertise across several European countries.

Financial Context

The €40 million (approximately US$43 million) grant arrives as PureCycle continues to scale operations. \The company reported revenue of US$8.36 million over the last twelve months with negative EBITDA of US$137 million.

The first commercial-scale facility in Ironton, Ohio, has an annual capacity of 48,600 tonnes, with the Antwerp plant expected to add another 59,000 tonnes to global capacity.

What This Means for Recycling

For the European packaging industry, PureCycle’s Antwerp facility represents a critical step toward meeting PPWR-mandated recycled content targets.

With PPWR requiring specific percentages of recycled plastic content by 2030, access to high-purity recycled polypropylene suitable for food contact applications will be essential.

By delivering made-in-Europe recycled PP at commercial scale, the project positions PureCycle as a key supplier in a market where regulatory pressure and consumer demand for circular packaging continue to intensify.

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