Polymers produced from pyrolysis oil will be identical to those produced from traditional feedstocks

Dow partners with Fuenix for pyrolysis oil feedstock from recycled plastic waste (Credit Pixabay).

American chemical firm Dow has entered into an agreement with Dutch company Fuenix Ecogy Group for the supply of pyrolysis oil feedstock made from recycled plastic waste for the production of new polymers at Dow’s facilities at Terneuzen in the Netherlands.

Fuenix Ecogy has developed the hybrid Fuenix Ecogy technology to process ‘end of life’ sorted post-consumer packaging material into circular feedstocks such as naphtha, paraffin and LPG.

The agreement is aimed at increasing feedstock recycling, a process to break down mixed waste plastics into their original form to manufacture virgin polymers.

Polymers produced from pyrolysis oil will be identical to those produced from traditional feedstocks and can be used in several applications, including food packaging.

Dow focuses on integrating recycled content into its production processes

The agreement is part of the US chemical company’s focus on resource efficiency and to integrate recycled content and renewable feedstocks into its production processes to allow a shift to a circular economy for plastics.

Dow packaging and specialty plastics business president Diego Donoso said: “We believe plastics are too valuable to be lost as waste and should be part of the circular economy.

“With partners in South America, we have supported the development of construction materials made with recycled plastics for schools, and in Southeast Asia, Mexico and the United States, we have built roads made with recycled plastics.

“This partnership with Fuenix is an important next step in moving us closer to the future we envision, which is the sustainable production of circular polymers.”

Dow has committed to using 100,000 tonnes of recycled plastics in its product offerings in the European Union by 2025, and the agreement is expected to contribute to this objective.

Fuenix CEO Sirt Mellema said: “This partnership offers us the opportunity to scale up our technology. Our ambition is to ensure the value of plastic waste is fully used to create new, circular plastic while significantly reducing the global use of virgin raw materials and CO2 emissions.

“We are excited to be working with Dow on this initiative and look forward to playing our part in helping to produce more sustainable materials.”

Dow will showcase its recycling portfolio at K 2019, a plastics and rubber trade fair to be held in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 16-23 October.