Chevron Phillips Chemical, Charter Next Generation to bring circular polyethylene to retail stores

Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem), The Woodlands, Texas, and Charter Next Generation (CNG), Lexington, Ohio, have announced that overwrap film made with CPChem’s Marlex Anew circular polyethylene (PE) will make its way to store shelves in the U.S. The companies say that overwrap films help preserve food, keep medical instruments secure and sterile and provide lightweight and durable product packaging.

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“Together with CNG, we are transforming waste plastics into useful products and demonstrating real-world commercial scale applications of circular plastics,” says Jay Bickett, CPChem’s vice president of polymers. “This collaboration is a great example of the new possibilities unlocked by advanced recycling.”

According to CPChem, it leverages its established advanced recycling program to produce Marlex Anew PE, which is certified through International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus using the free attribution model. The process uses pyrolysis oil made from difficult-to-recycle plastics as a feedstock to produce a circular PE with characteristics the company claims are identical to its original Marlex PE.

CNG says it has used recycled content as a component in a number of its food and consumer packaging films for more than a decade, and recently announced ISCC Plus certification at its Lexington campus. The extrusion site serves markets such as towel and tissue overwrap, fresh produce, protein, e-commerce and more.

“CNG is excited to bring films using Marlex Anew circular polyethylene to consumers,” says CNG Chief Commercial Officer Doug Latreille. “With our Lexington campus now ISCC Plus certified, CNG is well positioned to offer circular products like these films to customers on a commercial scale.”

CPChem adds that it is continuing to explore applications for its circular PE and enhance its advanced recycling program. The company recently worked with Phillips 66 to process pyrolysis oil in a commercial scale trial at the Phillips 66 Sweeny Refinery in Old Ocean, Texas. The Phillips 66 site also has received ISCC Plus certification, verifying the refinery meets the standards to convert pyrolysis oil into circular feedstocks, which can be used to produce Marlex Anew.