Project Overview
Our Process: Turning Plastic Waste into Circular Raw Materials
Chemical Recycling and Pyrolysis
Plastic is an essential material in modern life, but many plastic products are difficult to recycle using traditional mechanical methods. Multi-layer packaging, contaminated plastics, and mixed plastic streams often end up being incinerated or sent to landfill.
Chemical recycling offers a solution for these hard-to-recycle plastics. One of the most promising technologies in this field is pyrolysis.
Pyrolysis is a thermal process that breaks down plastics into their original chemical building blocks. By heating plastic waste in the absence of oxygen, long polymer chains are broken apart in a process known as de-polymerisation. The result is a liquid hydrocarbon product known as pyrolysis oil, which can be used as a circular raw material by the chemical industry to produce new plastics and chemicals.
In this way, plastic waste is transformed back into a valuable resource instead of being lost through incineration or landfill.
Our Role in the Circular Value Chain
Our facility in Delfzijl is designed to play an important role in the circular plastics value chain.
We process plastic waste streams that are difficult to recycle mechanically and convert them into circular feedstock for the chemical industry. This feedstock can then be used by chemical producers and plastic manufacturers to create new plastic products.
By closing this loop, we help ensure that plastic materials remain in the economy for longer while reducing the need for virgin fossil resources.
From Plastic Waste to Circular Feedstock
Our process consists of several key steps that transform plastic waste into valuable circular raw materials.
- Intake of Plastic Feedstock
The process begins with the delivery of plastic agglomerate, a pre-treated plastic material produced by specialized waste processing companies.
This material typically consists of mixed plastic fractions that cannot be recycled through mechanical recycling due to contamination or complex composition. Instead of being discarded, these materials are used as feedstock for our pyrolysis process.
Before entering the process, the feedstock is inspected and prepared to ensure it meets the required specifications for efficient conversion. - Thermal Conversion in the Pyrolysis Reactor
The prepared plastic feedstock is then fed into the pyrolysis reactor, the core of our facility.
Inside the reactor, the plastic material is heated to high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment. Without oxygen present, the plastics do not burn. Instead, their long molecular chains break down into smaller hydrocarbon molecules through the process of de-polymerization. This controlled thermal process converts the solid plastic material into pyrolysis vapors, which are then cooled and condensed into liquid pyrolysis oil. - Production of Pyrolysis Oil
The condensed product from the reactor is pyrolysis oil, a liquid hydrocarbon that can be used as a circular alternative to fossil-based feedstocks.
This oil can be processed further by refineries and petrochemical plants to produce new plastics and chemicals, effectively returning plastic waste to the beginning of the plastics production cycle.
Around 50% of the synthetic gas produced during the process can be used internally to support the energy requirements of the facility, improving overall efficiency. - Storage and Logistics
The pyrolysis oil produced at our facility is transported to external storage facilities operated by our partners in the Delfzijl industrial area. From there, the product is distributed to industrial offtakers, including chemical producers and refineries, who use the material as feedstock for producing circular plastics and chemicals. This integration with the regional industrial infrastructure helps ensure efficient logistics and reliable supply to downstream users.
Environmental Benefits
By converting plastic waste into circular feedstock, our facility contributes to several important environmental benefits.
Reducing Dependence on Fossil Resources
Traditional plastics are produced from fossil oil and gas. By replacing part of this demand with recycled feedstock, pyrolysis helps reduce the need for new fossil extraction.
Lowering CO₂ Emissions
Producing plastics from recycled feedstock can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to producing plastics from virgin fossil resources.
Avoiding Landfill and Incineration
Many plastic waste streams processed in our facility would otherwise be incinerated or landfilled. Chemical recycling offers an alternative pathway that recovers value from these materials and returns them to the circular economy.
Supplying Circular Raw Materials to Industry
The products generated by our facility are sold to industrial offtakers in the chemical and plastics industry. These companies use pyrolysis oil as a circular raw material to produce new plastics that can be used in packaging, consumer products, automotive applications, and many other sectors.
Through this process, plastic waste is transformed into new materials, helping close the loop and supporting the development of a truly circular plastics economy.
