The new facility complements the company's existing
mechanical recycling activities
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and
HOUSTON, Oct. 15, 2019 /CNW/ -- LyondellBasell today
announced that it is building a new small-scale pilot facility at
its Ferrara, Italy site moving
another step closer to converting post-consumer plastic waste into
new plastics on a commercial scale. The company selected its
Ferrara site for the pilot facility due to its long history of
research and development, including catalyst development.
Through its collaboration with the Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology (KIT), LyondellBasell's proprietary molecular recycling
technology, known as MoReTec, has shown that use of a
catalyst in the pyrolysis process, or the structural breakdown of
plastic waste into molecules, is faster and more energy efficient
than traditional chemical recycling.
"We have advanced our chemical recycling capabilities over the
last 15 months, and through research and testing we are studying a
number of LyondellBasell proprietary catalyst options," said
Jim Seward, LyondellBasell Senior
Vice President of Research & Development, Technology and
Sustainability. "In addition to continuing the development of our
catalyst options, our investment in a small-scale pilot facility
will help us to advance MoReTec technology towards
commercial scale in our quest to achieving a true circular
economy."
LyondellBasell's MoReTec technology has the goal to
convert typically difficult to recycle plastic waste such as
multi-layer films, returning them to their molecular state to be
used as feedstock to produce new plastic for all applications
including food contact and healthcare items. While MoReTec
is based on chemical recycling, it also includes a proprietary
catalyst-based approach.
LyondellBasell believes this approach has significant potential
due to its lower energy use and faster chemical conversion process
which uses less heat.
In the coming months, LyondellBasell will continue its
construction of its pilot facility at Ferrara, while also focusing
on the interaction of various waste types on the molecular
recycling process, catalyst selection, and process conditions.
The development of molecular recycling is just one of the three
ways LyondellBasell is advancing sustainable solutions as it
relates to plastic waste. LyondellBasell is also actively involved
in mechanical recycling through its Quality Circular Polymers (QCP)
joint venture with SUEZ, which converts post-consumer plastic waste
into new plastic pellets that are used in applications ranging from
electrical appliances, washing detergent bottles and suitcases.
Additionally, LyondellBasell has produced new bioplastics from 100%
renewable raw materials such as cooking and vegetable oil waste,
which can be used to create items such as food packaging, toys and
furniture.
About LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) is one
of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the
world. Driven by its employees around the globe, LyondellBasell
produces materials and products that are key to advancing solutions
to modern challenges like enhancing food safety through lightweight
and flexible packaging, protecting the purity of water supplies
through stronger and more versatile pipes, improving the safety,
comfort and fuel efficiency of many of the cars and trucks on the
road, and ensuring the safe and effective functionality in
electronics and appliances. LyondellBasell sells products into more
than 100 countries and is the world's largest producer of polymer
compounds and the largest licensor of polyolefin technologies. In
2019, LyondellBasell was named to Fortune magazine's list of the
"World's Most Admired Companies." More information about
LyondellBasell can be found at www.LyondellBasell.com.
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SOURCE LyondellBasell