The new facility will be equipped to recycle post-use polystyrene products into virgin-equivalent styrene monomer
Ineos Styrolution and AmSty will construct polystyrene recycling facility in Channahon. (Credit: Ulrike Mai from Pixabay)
Ineos Styrolution has partnered with AmSty, a polystyrene producer, to build an advanced polystyrene recycling facility in Illinois, US.
The facility, located in Channahon, will use the advanced recycling technology of Agilyx, which is engaged in the chemical recycling of post-use plastics back into polymers.
It will have the capacity to recycle post-use polystyrene products into virgin-equivalent styrene monomer.
Ineos Styrolution Americas president Greg Fordyce said: “Discarded single-use items like polystyrene foam cups and yoghurt cups can now go right back to the same applications over and over at the same purity and performance with no need to landfill.
“We are excited to join forces with AmSty on this ambitious project, which we expect will elevate polystyrene as a sustainable material of choice. In particular, this facility will dramatically increase recycling rates in the greater Chicago area.”
AmSty and Agilyx established their Regenyx joint venture in 2018 for the development of a similar facility in Tigard, Oregon, using Agilyx pyrolysis technology.
Agilyx CEO Tim Stedman said: “Agilyx’s technology for converting waste polystyrene is proven at scale, having been operational for several years now in Oregon.
“This new facility in Illinois will be the largest of its type in the world, and will meet the growing demand from brand owners who want more recycled plastic, allowing them not only the possibility of recycling food-grade material back to the same products but also for the upcycling of lower quality non-food grade products to meet food-grade usage requirements.”
The Channahon facility will have recycling capacity of 100 tonnes daily
Designed to serve as the next generation of advanced recycling technology, the Channahon facility will have a recycling capacity of 100 tonnes daily.
Agilyx will also be responsible for sourcing and supplying plastic waste feedstock for the new facility, through its Cyclyx subsidiary.
Currently, the partners are undertaking engineering design for the facility. This will be followed by construction and commissioning.
Earlier this month, AmSty, Ineos Styrolution and Trinseo have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to explore ways to recycle polystyrene.