EEW Energy from Waste GmbH (EEW) and DSD – Duales System Holding GmbH & Co. KG intend to join forces to develop a process for treating mixed plastics and waste left after sorting in the German dual system for packaging recycling, for instance. The aim is to obtain large quantities of plastic waste that has so far not been amenable to recycling for either technical or financial reasons, so it can be chemically recycled. Both companies have agreed to establish a joint venture and by the end of 2021 intend to develop a technically and commercially viable process for treating 200,000 tons of plastic waste a year in a recycling plant that both partners will jointly build and operate. The input materials for this facility are to come from the waste flows of both DSD and EEW.
To quote Michael Wiener, CEO of Der Grüne Punkt: “With this joint venture, we will create a solution of persuasive potency for plastic waste at present not amenable to recycling, which can currently at best be used as feedstock for cement factories or refuse incineration plants. We are thus complementing our technologically advanced processes for mechanical recycling with an entirely new treatment method, which means we will in future be able to offer our customers an even broader range of services. Moreover, the model developed in the joint venture is yet another means of paving the way for climate-friendly recycling of plastic waste that is difficult to recover.”
Bernard M. Kemper, CEO of EEW GmbH, commented: “This cooperative alliance is the first time that companies from the fields of material recycling and energy from waste are joining forces to strengthen chemical recycling and create a more circular economy for plastics. We will do this by transforming the waste stream of mixed plastics and sorting residues into a feedstock that can be used to make new products. EEW will step up its recycling efforts upstream of thermal waste utilization: Waste that is currently being used to generate heat and power will be reclaimed and fed back into the raw material loop. In a nutshell, our joint venture stands for more and better recycling. We will leverage our facilities and our technical expertise to achieve this, as our contribution to a sustainable circular economy.”
Materials considered for the planned treatment process are, for example, flat thin mixed plastics from the German Recyclables Bin or the Yellow Sack / Yellow Bin, waste with a plastics content left after sorting lightweight packages in the dual system, and treatment residues from the two plastics recycling lines operated by Der Grüne Punkt. Before using household garbage for thermal waste treatment in its facilities, EEW will remove any plastic waste from it, thus making these quantities available for chemical recycling. After the cooperation partners EEW and DSD have treated this plastic waste, it will then be chemically recycled by a service provider in what is called an oiling process that turns waste into oil by means of pyrolysis, for example. The pyrolysis oil obtained will be offered for sale as a basic ingredient for producing ultra-pure foodgrade plastics, e.g. to branded-article companies, which can use it for manufacturing new packaging. In this way, they can work with a raw material that has verifiably been obtained from post-consumer waste.
Contacts
DSD
Norbert Völl
Tel.: +49 2203 937507
EEW
Ronald Philipp
Tel.: +49 30 660068-185
About the Der Grüne Punkt Group
The companies of Der Grüne Punkt are service providers for extended producer responsibility, leading suppliers of secondary raw materials for plastics, and premium producers of plastic recyclates, and as such positioned as the premier solution providers for the needs of the circular economy. Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH (DSD), with the Green Dot as its trademark, was among the companies to introduce and establish the dual system in Germany, and stands for intelligent take-back systems, plus the development and marketing of innovative recyclates and services. Systec Plastics, at its facilities in Eisfeld and Hörstel, produces premium-quality recyclates under the Systalen brand name for the international market. The companies are grouped together in DSD – Duales System Holding GmbH & Co. KG.
About EEW Energy from Waste
EEW Energy from Waste (EEW) is a European leader in the thermal recovery of waste and sewage sludge. To sustainably utilise the energy contained in these resources, the company designs, builds and operates recovery plants with cutting-edge technology. EEW therefore plays an essential role in a sustainable circular economy. Currently, 1,250 employees at the EEW Group’s 17 plants in Germany and neighboring countries are responsible for the energy recovery of around 5 million tonnes of waste per year. EEW transforms the energy contained in the waste, providing it in the form of process steam for industrial plants, district heating for residential areas, and eco-friendly electricity. The recovery of energy from waste at EEW’s plants conserves natural resources, reclaims valuable raw materials and reduces carbon emissions.
Source
Der Grüne Punkt, press release, 2021-07-15.
Supplier
Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH
EEW Energy from Waste
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