LyondellBasell progresses plans for advanced recycling plant in Germany

LyondellBasell, which is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, has announced it is moving forward with plans to build an advanced recycling plant at its site in Wesseling, Germany.

Earlier this fall, the company had reported that Source One Plastics will produce processed material that will provide a substantial part of the feedstock for the plant. It will use LyondellBasell’s proprietary molecular recycling technology, known as MoReTec, to convert pretreated plastic waste into feedstock for new plastic production. The company says plastic waste feedstock will consist of materials such as multilayered food packaging items or mixed plastic containers that are typically not recycled today.

LyondellBasell says it aims to make a final investment decision regarding this site by the end of 2023.

“We are actively working to move the circular economy forward. Progressing our MoReTec technology represents another step LyondellBasell is making to accelerate the development and implementation of scalable sustainable and circular technology,” says Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell executive vice president of Circular and Low Carbon Solutions. “This high yield, differential technology will allow us to convert plastic waste into pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gas for use in our crackers as feedstock leading to the production of new plastic materials. Solid process residues can be reused or consumed in other applications, making this technology an energy efficient, zero waste process for the recycling of plastic waste.”

LyondellBasell plans to begin operations at the Wesseling plant by the end of 2025, with an initial capacity of 50,000 metric tons per year. Feedstock produced at the facility will be converted at the LyondellBasell Wesseling site into CirculenRevive polymers for use in applications such as food packaging and health care products.