{"id":161606,"date":"2024-12-20T07:22:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T06:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=161606"},"modified":"2025-04-08T14:42:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T12:42:27","slug":"recycling-expanded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/recycling-expanded\/","title":{"rendered":"RECYCLING Expanded"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Plastics make modern life possible. Plastic products help defend against disease, preserve food and are used in medical equipment that saves lives. As living standards improve globally, plastics will be instrumental in many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including good health, food preservation and clean drinking water. At the same time, far too much plastic ends up as unmanaged waste in the developing world, discarded onto land and into rivers and oceans. Unmanaged waste can have significant environmental and economic impacts. Plastic waste is a global challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Europe produces a significant amount of plastic waste. In 2022, it collected more than 32 million metric tons of post-consumer plastic waste. Despite efforts to ramp-up recycling, less than one-third of that plastic found a second life.1<\/sup> Half of it ended up in incineration (with energy recovery), while nearly a quarter ended up in landfills.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

% of plastic waste in Europe that gets a second life <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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This presents not only an environmental issue, but an economic one. Each year, the EU spends about \u20ac60 billion managing packaging waste.3 <\/sup>Traditional mechanical recycling is a mature and effective solution with many environmental benefits, but mechanical recycling is declining while incineration is currently increasing in Europe.4<\/sup>Chemical recycling technology \u2014 which transforms plastic waste into raw materials to make a wide range of new products \u2014 provides a complementary solution to mechanical recycling, given there are limitations to the type of plastics that this method can process. However, regulatory clarity and political support are essential to attracting the investments needed to scale-up this technology in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The EU\u2019s recycling ecosystem needs A BOOST <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 and all recycling technologies are required<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To meet its own circularity goals, the EU will have to dramatically increase the volume of plastic waste being recycled. As part of the Green Deal, member countries must recycle 55 percent of plastic packaging waste by 2030.5<\/sup> That is almost double the current rate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, demand for recycled plastic is growing among consumers. Globally, more than 80 consumer packaged goods companies have announced targets for their use of recycled plastics.6<\/sup> Governments around the world are regulating the use of recycled materials. In Europe, this comes in the form of recycled content targets, plastic taxes and \u201cextended producer responsibility\u201d schemes, which drive the demand for recycled materials and hold manufacturers accountable for what happens to their products at the end of their life cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EU recycled content target for plastics packaging by 2030<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Today, mechanical recycling is the most common method for recycling plastic. With this technique, discarded plastic is sorted, shredded and washed before being reprocessed into new products. But not all plastic can be recycled this way even if this solution continues to improve: Multi-material and multi-layer plastics can pose challenges, as well as lightweight, flexible films and wrappers, which are often critical to the hygiene and safety of the product inside. These are plastics that are used in all kinds of consumer products, from food to electronics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical recycling works well for the plastic products it can effectively recycle \u2015 such as the many plastic bottles disposed of each year, and it should be the first option. However, Europe can\u2019t rely on this approach for those hard-to-recycle plastic applications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To increase the volume and variety of discarded plastic that can be recycled, Europe needs additional and complementary technologies. One solution that could help meet its plastic recycling goals is chemical recycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is chemical recycling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chemical recycling is a broad term that covers a range of processes and technologies that break down those complex, hard-to-recycle plastics into their molecular components. One method uses heat, chemical reactions or catalytic processes. Another uses solvents to remove additives from plastic. The molecular components can then be reused as building blocks for a wide range of new products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An expanding technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chemical recycling is growing and ready to be deployed with significant investments in Europe. According to Plastics Europe, European plastics manufacturers are planning \u20ac8 billion of investments in chemical recycling by 2030. To accelerate investments in this technology, a strong and supportive regulatory framework is needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ExxonMobil has been operating a chemical recycling unit at its facility in Texas since 2022, and as of October 2024, has processed over 30,000 metric tons of plastic waste. In November 2024, the company announced a $200 million investment to add four additional units at its facilities in Baytown and Beaumont, Texas. As a result, ExxonMobil\u2019s global chemical recycling capacity could rise to half a million metric tons of plastic waste a year by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n

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ExxonMobil is considering chemical recycling projects at its facilities in Antwerp and Rotterdam (pictured). Supportive policy from Europe\u2019s governments could help make this a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The company would like to bring its chemical recycling technology to Europe and is considering projects at its facilities in Antwerp and Rotterdam. However, supportive policy from governments is needed to help make this a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Chemical recycling heats up hard-to-recycle plastic (alongside other feed streams), removes contaminants and turns it into raw material for a wide range of valuable new products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To meet hygiene and safety standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virgin-quality materials are needed to meet safety and hygiene standards for plastic food packaging. Chemical recycling can help support circularity in this sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increasing the types of plastic that can be recycled, chemical recycling can help reduce plastic waste sent to landfills or incineration. Plastic waste can serve as an alternative to fossil-based feedstock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do we need chemical recycling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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These technologies offer several advantages. First, they can process plastic with traces of grease or food residue, which is difficult to remove through mechanical recycling. Second, they can process those multi-layer, multi-material or lightweight, flexible plastics such as those used to package crisps or ground coffee beans. These plastics are hard to mechanically recycle because, using that method, different plastics cannot be recycled together, or they are too small or flexible to be compatible with mechanical recycling processes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemical recycling not only expands the types of plastics that are recyclable \u2014 it also produces raw materials used as the building blocks in a wide range of products, including new plastics and high-value chemical products. Additionally, for every ton of plastic waste processed through chemical recycling, society reduces the need to process approximately one ton of fossil-derived feedstocks (on a global macroeconomic basis, assuming constant demand).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a 2023 study by the European Commission\u2019s Joint Research Centre, Ghent University and Maastricht University, Europe could recycle as much as 80 percent of its plastic waste by 2030. Of this, 34 percent could be through chemical recycling.7<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

% of plastic waste that europe could recycle by 2030<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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ExxonMobil\u2019s chemical recycling process and facilities are certified via International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS, an independent, third-party certification system. The ISCC has more than 250 members, including research institutes and NGOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemical recycling is growing and ready to be deployed with significant investments in Europe. According to Plastics Europe, European plastics manufacturers are planning \u20ac8 billion of investments in chemical recycling by 2030. To accelerate investments in this technology, a strong and supportive regulatory framework is needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ExxonMobil has been operating a chemical recycling unit at its facility in Texas since 2022, and as of October 2024, has processed over 30,000 metric tons of plastic waste. In November 2024, the company announced a $200 million investment to add four additional units at its facilities in Baytown and Beaumont, Texas. As a result, ExxonMobil\u2019s global chemical recycling capacity could rise to half a million metric tons of plastic waste a year by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For every ton of plastic waste processed through chemical recycling, society reduces the need to process approximately one ton of fossil-derived feedstocks. And for every ton of certified-circular plastics sold, more than a ton of plastic waste avoids ending up in other end-of-life dispositions, such as landfill or incineration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mario Draghi\u2019s recent report on the future of European competitiveness states that there is currently no business case for plastic recycling in Europe because the costs of doing so are too high compared with the lower costs of incineration and creating virgin plastic.8<\/sup> However, ExxonMobil\u2019s Texas site is profitable today, in part, because policy and market forces create demand and identify the value of post-use plastic. To make chemical recycling economically viable in the EU and incentivize investment, a practicable \u201cmass balance\u201d system is needed to qualify recycled content and generate the highest demand for plastic waste as a valuable feedstock for making new products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An efficient way to scale chemical recycling is to integrate the technology into existing refineries. This saves time and money that would be spent to build new infrastructure and has less environmental impact. It also enables skilled workers in the sector to contribute to the circular economy. In chemical recycling, plastic waste feedstocks are blended with virgin feedstocks and the two feedstocks are broken down into identical molecules and cannot be physically separated. Workable third-party validated mass balance methodologies enable chemical recyclers to allocate the recycled plastic molecules to their highest value output. This reduces costs to consumers, while still incentivizing the collection of post-use plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is mass balance needed for chemical recycling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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ExxonMobil\u2019s customers can be confident that when they buy our certified-circular plastics, they\u2019re helping divert plastic waste from alternative end of life, such as landfills or incineration, and giving it a new life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Europe is to take advantage of the promise of chemical recycling to address plastic waste, its policymakers must create clarity and stability to attract investments. EU governments already recognize the role that both chemical and mechanical recycling can play to help address plastic waste \u2015 which is a welcome start \u2015 but investors need certainty on how to account for recycled content. Mass balance is essential in scaling up chemical recycling in the EU using existing infrastructure, and clarity from the European Commission on a workable approach to mass balance is needed quickly. Such an approach should recognize all chemical recycling technologies and allow allocation of recycled plastic molecules to their highest value output, excluding fuels. Continued regulatory confusion would further widen Europe\u2019s competitiveness gap and put industry investments in chemical recycling in the EU at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chemical recycling could be a game changer in Europe\u2019s quest to address plastic waste. But this vision requires more than technology. It demands unified rules, significant investment and a commitment from policymakers to embrace evolving solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partnerships among industry leaders, investors and policymakers will be key to advance chemical recycling technologies. With clear regulations and the right incentives, Europe could attract the investment that will make it a recycling superpower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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References<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

1<\/sup>https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2<\/sup>https:\/\/plasticseurope.org\/knowledge-hub\/the-circular-economy-for-plastics-a-european-analysis-2024\/<\/a> (page 75)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3<\/sup>https:\/\/www.ricardo.com\/en\/news-and-insights\/insights\/ppwr-d-from-directive-to-regulation-the-potential-impact-on-the-chemical-recycling-industry<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4<\/sup>Plastics \u2013 the fast Facts 2024 \u2022 Plastics Europe<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5<\/sup>https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/topics\/en\/article\/20181212STO21610\/plastic-waste-and-recycling-in-the-eu-facts-and-figures#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20Green,quality%20standards%20for%20secondary%20plastics<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6<\/sup>https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/industries\/chemicals\/our-insights\/advanced-recycling-opportunities-for-growth<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7<\/sup>https:\/\/www.sustainableplastics.com\/news\/chemical-recycling-can-contribute-34-plastic-recycling-europe-says-new-study<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8<\/sup>https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/topics\/strengthening-european-competitiveness\/eu-competitiveness-looking-ahead_en<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Plastics make modern life possible. Plastic products help defend against disease, preserve food and are used in medical equipment that saves lives. As living standards improve globally, plastics will be instrumental in many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including good health, food preservation and clean drinking water. At the same time, far too […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":161615,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"How chemical recycling could help address Europe's plastic waste challenge","footnotes":""},"categories":[17143],"tags":[17202,10416,11966,14462,10453],"supplier":[2317,5585,7455,3532],"class_list":["post-161606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recycling","tag-chemicalrecycling","tag-circulareconomy","tag-plastics","tag-plasticwaste","tag-recycling","supplier-european-commission","supplier-european-union","supplier-exxonmobil","supplier-international-sustainability-carbon-certification-iscc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161606\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161606"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=161606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}