The facility, which will be owned and operated by Valoregen, will have the capacity to treat up to 70 kilotons of plastic trash annually
Dow signs agreement with Valoregen to build recycling plant in France. (Credit: RitaE from Pixabay)
Materials science company Dow has signed an agreement with French recycling firm Valoregen to help construct a new hybrid recycling site in France.
Touted to be the largest single hybrid recycling site in France, the facility will be owned and operated by Valoregen. It will have the capacity to treat up to 70 kilotons of plastic trash annually.
Under the agreement, Dow will be the main off-taker of post-consumer resins (PCR) from the new plant.
The facility will eventually mix mechanical and advanced recycling facilities into a single ecosystem in the future.
The project is expected to become operational and start supplying recycled materials at the end of the first quarter of 2023.
It represents an important step in combining mechanical recycling with newer, advanced recycling processes.
The ultimate goal of Valoregen is to develop a special ecosystem that can recycle all types of plastic waste locally.
Dow has pledged to include at least 100,000 tonnes of recovered plastics in its product offerings marketed in the European Union by 2025 using both mechanical and advanced recycling methods.
The facility will boost energy efficiency by permitting a yield of more than 80%, much beyond the average traditional mechanical recycling efficiency of roughly 60-70%.
Valoregen will also reduce the overall carbon emissions created by these activities as it works to minimise the transportation of waste materials to various places.
The majority of the post-consumer resins will go to Dow, which will utilise them to create new plastic items that will be sold under the REVOLOOP brand.
Additionally, Valoregen will benefit from its vast knowledge in recycling technology as it expands its capabilities.
The site has been cleared by the classified installation for the protection of the environment (I.C.P.E. – Installation Classée pour la Protection de l’Environnement).
Dow Venture Capital, which is committed to pursuing strategic investments in start-up businesses that allow and accelerate Dow’s business and value growth, organised and oversaw the investment.
The deal is another example of Dow’s attempts to achieve its environmental, climate, and plastic waste reduction goals.