Repsol reaches agreement to incorporate recycled-content polyolefins

Spain-based petrochemical firm Repsol says it has reached an agreement with Torrelavega, Spain-based plastic packaging producer Grupo Armando Alvarez Group (GAA) to jointly develop processes to create recycled-content polyolefins to be used packaging applications.

Collaborative aspects of the alliance including using mechanical recycling methods to produce recycled-content polymers that can be used in non-food contact flexible packaging applications; and for both companies to market circular polyolefins produced via a chemical recycling that would be suitable for food-contact applications.

Repsol and GAA say they have developed a new range of circular containers that incorporate high-quality recycled polyolefins, recovered by both mechanical and chemical recycling processes.

“This new alliance reinforces Repsol's objective, announced last December, to become a zero net emissions company in 2050,” states Repsol. The company says it is “committed to the efficiency of its industrial chemical processes and oriented to the circular economy, with the ambition to recycle the equivalent of 20 percent of the company’s polyolefins production.”

Repsol and GAA have developed what they call “the first homologated material for the easy-tear film application that incorporates Repsol Reciclex recycled material—thus becoming leading companies on the market and champions of the circular economy in packaging applications.”

Repsol also says the industrial bags it uses to market its pellets, which incorporate 30 percent postconsumer recycled material, were developed in cooperation with GAA. A reverse logistics system allows Repsol to recover used industrial bags that are reprocessed so they can be incorporated into bag reels GAA manufactures for Repsol.

For food-contact applications, the agreement between the two companies will allow for the production of Repsol Reciclex resins produced by the chemical recycling of postconsumer plastic scrap deemed not suitable for mechanical recycling.

In August, Repsol announced a separate agreement with Alicante, Spain-based plastics recycler Acteco to collaborate to increase the capacity of a recycled materials production plant Acteco owns. Repsol said the recycled products from the Alicante plant will be included in its Repsol Reciclex product line.