The recycling plant will leverage Honeywell's UpCycle Technology, along with other chemical and mechanical processes, and enhanced collection and sorting
Avangard NaturaPCR complex in Waller, Texas. (Credit: PRNewsfoto/Honeywell.)
Honeywell and large-scale plastic recycler Avangard Innovative have announced that they will form a joint venture to build an advanced recycling plant in Texas, US.
The new facility will be the first to leverage Honeywell’s UpCycle Process technology to transform plastic wastes into recycled polymer feedstock, to create new plastics.
Honeywell said that its UpCycle Process Technology was created within its Sustainable Technology Solutions (STS) business, a part of Honeywell UOP.
The UpCycle Process technology is capable of reducing the need for fossil feeds in the making of virgin plastics, claimed the company.
The new facility will be built within Avangard’s NaturaPCR complex in Waller, Texas. It will be jointly owned and operated by Honeywell and Avangard, under the JV partnership.
Expected to start production in 2023, the facility will have a planned capacity to transform 30,000 metric tons of mixed waste plastics into Honeywell Recycled Polymer Feedstock per annum.
Avangard Innovative CEO Rick Perez said: “Working with Honeywell on a joint advanced recycling plant allows Avangard Innovative to reinforce its mission to preserve and protect the environment by targeting zero waste to landfill.
“The Honeywell solution employs a modular approach to plant design, enabling a straightforward deployment and installation, while striking the right balance between economy of scale and amount of waste plastic generated locally.”
Honeywell said that its UpCycle Process technology, together with improved chemical and mechanical processes, collection and sorting, can increase the recyclability of plastic wastes to 90% from the current 15%.
The partnership is expected to expand the footprint of UpCycle Process technology, and complement Honeywell’s recent plans to form a joint venture with Sacyr.
The joint venture with Sacyr is aimed at establishing an advanced recycling plant in Andalucía, in Southern Spain.
The Spanish facility will have a capacity to transform 30,000 metric tons per annum of mixed waste plastics into recycled polymer feedstock, said Honeywell.
Honeywell performance materials and technologies president and chief executive officer Vimal Kapur said: “Partnering with companies that have recycling and waste management experience allows Honeywell to help close the loop within the plastics supply chain by bringing the recycling technology onsite to the collection source.
“The UpCycle Process Technology expands the types of plastics that can be recycled to include waste plastic that would otherwise go unrecycled, enabling Honeywell to play a key role in driving a circular plastics economy.”