Brightmark’s technology results in less GHG emissions than equivalent products made from virgin material

San Francisco-based Brightmark has announced that a life cycle analysis of its pyrolysis-based process for mixed plastic scrap shows that it produces 39 percent to 139 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than equivalent products made using virgin materials. The Georgia Institute of Technology collected the data, with Environmental Clarity Inc. performing the analysis.

The life cycle analysis shows that plastics renewal provides 82 percent energy use savings, 46 percent water use savings and a 39 percent to 139 percent reduction in carbon footprint. The technology’s carbon footprint benefit was further found to be directly correlated to the extent to which a given country relied on incineration as a waste disposal method: In Europe, where 50 percent of plastics are incinerated, plastics renewal’s carbon footprint improvement jumps to 139 percent compared with equivalent virgin products.

“We commissioned this life cycle analysis so that we had total clarity on the environmental benefits offered by plastics renewal,” says Bob Powell, CEO and founder of Brightmark. “These are massive savings, and we’ll seek to continue improving our environmental impact as our work advances.”

Brightmark says the life cycle analysis included three groups of activities: plastics renewal and supply chain; the resulting avoided waste management system because of recycling; and the cradle-to-gate production of equivalent chemical products that would have to be made if recycling of waste plastics did not occur.

“Simply put, our life cycle analysis shows that products created by plastics renewal require 17 percent the amount of fossil fuels as the same family of hydrocarbon plastics made from virgin petroleum,” says Matthew Realff, a Georgia Tech professor. “These improvements are significant when comparing technologies to make these products from virgin resources.”

“Brightmark’s plastic renewal technology reduces fossil fuel extraction, reduces landfill and incineration of waste and cuts down carbon emissions relative to current practice,” say Evan Griffing and Michael Overcash from Environmental Clarity. “We believe efforts to scale advanced plastic recycling technologies like Brightmark’s solution will provide substantial environmental and sustainability benefits to society.”

Brightmark’s plastics renewal life cycle analysis was peer-reviewed in March 2021 and found to be detailed, verifiable and compliant with ISO 14041 and 14044, the company says.

An executive summary of the findings is available here.

A spokesman for Brightmark says the company continues to ramp up operations at its first commercial-scale site in Ashley, Indiana, site. The company also has announced plans to construct a second facility in Macon, Georgia, and to explore developing sites in Europe with BP.