Plastic Energy Produces First Recycled Oil at Dutch Advanced Recycling Plant

• SABIC Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling (SPEAR), the joint venture recycling plant by Plastic Energy and SABIC in Geleen, the Netherlands, has produced its first pyrolysis oil, known as TACOIL™.
• TACOIL™ is made from hard-to-recycle post-consumer plastic waste that would otherwise be lost to landfill or incineration.
• This milestone marks another step on the facility’s journey to full commercial production expected to begin later this year

Plastic Energy, a global leader in chemical recycling, has announced the production of its first batch of TACOIL™ at its joint venture plant with SABIC in Geleen, the Netherlands. This marks a key milestone on the road to full commercial operations.

TACOIL™ is made from hard-to-recycle post-consumer plastic waste that would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfill. It serves as a replacement for conventional naphtha in existing petrochemical plants, enabling the manufacture of food-contact packaging, medical-grade plastics and other high-quality products. The polymers produced at the plant will significantly increase commercial volumes of circular polymers which have been used by brand owners in a variety of consumer and packaging products since 2019.

Plastic Energy’s patented TAC™ chemical recycling process breaks down mixed plastic waste using heat in an oxygen-free environment. Once fully operational, the plant will recycle 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year.

The technology, already proven at industrial scale at Plastic Energy’s plants in Spain, is designed to plug directly into the existing plastics value chain. Less than 30% of Europe’s 32 million tonnes of plastic waste is currently recycled.¹ The SPEAR facility, which is set to be the first example of a third-party chemical recycling technology being integrated into an existing petrochemical facility, will help support and enable the EU’s goal under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) for all packaging to be fully recyclable by 2030.

Ian Temperton, Chief Executive Officer of Plastic Energy, said:“Producing our first TACOIL™ at SPEAR is a major step forward for the plastic recycling industry. It underscores the capabilities of Plastic Energy’s technology, the robustness of our process and the dedication of our excellent team. We value the collaboration with our project partner SABIC and are proud to have achieved this milestone together.

“Recycling plastic waste into new plastics is critical to building a circular economy — and that’s exactly what this plant delivers. It boosts recycling rates, helps reduce CO₂ emissions by diverting used plastic from incineration, and shows what’s possible when innovation meets scale.”

This project is being executed with a Top Sector Energy Subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands.

¹ _{European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, ‘LIFE tackling Europe’s plastic problem’, December 2024, available here: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/life-tackling-europes-plastic-problem-2024-12-02_en}

About Plastic Energy

Plastic Energy is a global leader in chemical recycling, offering a sustainable solution to help prevent plastic waste, transforming previously unrecyclable plastic waste into a valuable resource. Our patented and proven TAC™ chemical recycling technology converts end-of-life plastic waste into an optimal feedstock (TACOIL™) for making virgin-quality recycled plastics. Plastic Energy currently has two chemical recycling plants that are in constant operation in Spain and is one of the few companies worldwide that has sold recycled oils from the conversion of end-of-life plastic waste to replace fossil oils in the manufacturing of new plastics. We are leading our field in the transition to a low-carbon circular economy for plastics. Learn more on our website.

Source

Plastic Energy, press release, 2025-08-27.

Supplier

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy - Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat (NL)
PLASTIC ENERGY
SABIC

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