Nexus Circular will supply pyrolysis oil to LyondellBasell for production of new plastics. That’s one of several recent chemical recycling technology deals. | Flagmania/Shutterstock
Several chemical recycling facilities, offtake agreements and technology licenses have been announced in recent weeks, with industry giants like Shell and LyondellBasell involved.
Here’s a roundup of some recent chemical recycling announcements.
Offtake agreement
LyondellBasell and Nexus Circular signed a definite long-term contract that will see Nexus supplying LyondellBasell with about 24,000 tons of recycled feedstock per year.
The material will be produced at Nexus Circular’s planned chemical recycling facility, which is slated to begin construction in 2023.
LyondellBasell plans to use the recycled feedstock at its Channelview, Texas facility for its CirculenRevive brand.
Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell executive vice president of circular and low carbon solutions, said in the press release that “customers and brand owners need sustainable solutions to meet their 2030 recycling commitments, and this contract is a concrete step toward advancing partnerships across the value chain.”
Technology licenses
Alterra signed a licensing agreement with Freepoint Eco-Systems Holdings to put its technology in a 192,000 annual ton chemical recycling facility sited in the Gulf Coast region.
A press release noted that the pyrolysis facility will be one of the largest chemical recycling plants in the world and will have the potential to increase its capacity to 288,000 annual tons, though the building timeline was not disclosed.
Alterra currently operates a 20,000 annual ton facility in Akron, Ohio. It licenses its proprietary thermochemical liquefaction technology worldwide, but the Freepoint project is Alterra’s first licensing transaction in North America.
The facility’s output will be ISCC PLUS certified and sold exclusively to Shell under a supply agreement, the press release noted.
Freepoint also partnered with TotalEnergies on another chemical recycling facility in Texas and broke ground on its Hebron, Ohio pyrolysis facility in December.
In addition, Japanese company RePEaT agreed to license its chemical recycling technology for polyester products to Zhejiang Jianxin Jiaren New Material. It’s the first time RePEaT has done so.
RePEaT is a joint venture that was established in 2022 by Teijin Limited, JGC Holdings Corporation and the ITOCHU Corporation to license Teijin’s dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) recycling technology. This technology can be used to chemically decompose, convert and repolymerize PET.
Zhejiang Jianxin plans to use the technology in a polyester product recycling plant slated to open in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province next year.
Making PS circular
Food and beverage package manufacturer Pactiv Evergreen partnered with PS manufacturer AmSty to offer its customers PS packaging products post-consumer recycled content.
AmSty uses a mass-balance approach and its PS foam is ISCC PLUS-certified. Pactiv Evergreen will use the material in select products starting in the first half of 2023.
Eric Wulf, president of Pactiv Evergreen’s food merchandising business unit, said the company’s broad material expertise “enables us to support our customers quickly and effectively as they seek more sustainable products.”
“Our collaboration with AmSty expands our portfolio of circular packaging, and we’re pleased to offer this solution to our customers,” he added.
Pactiv Evergreen’s goal is to have 100% of its products be made with recycled, recyclable or renewable materials by 2030.
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