Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (12-3-2024)

Special Report

cling alone only offers limited options, available that are capable to depoly- market experts, thorough research and
its further development as well as the merise a targeted polymer to its build- a large number of individual interviews
development of new advanced tech- ing units (monomers) via enzymoly- with industry players.
nologies will therefore continue, which sis (biochemical process), solvolysis
highlights the need for a large spectrum (chemical process), and thermal de- The study covers different tech-
of different recycling solutions that polymerisation (thermochemical pro- nologies in various scales including
complement each other. cess). Another group of chemical recy- gasification, pyrolysis, solvolysis, dis-
cling technologies are thermochemical solution, and enzymolysis. All tech-
With mechanical recycling, con- processes, which currently achieve the nologies and corresponding companies,
taminations cannot be removed from largest capacities. These technologies which include start-ups, SMEs, and
the plastics waste streams, which is are based on pyrolysis, gasification and large enterprises are presented compre-
why mechanically recycled plastics incineration coupled with Carbon Cap- hensively. It further describes the tech-
are not approved for food contact ture and Utilisation (CCU), which are nical details, the suitability of available
applications. Furthermore, if a plastic is capable to convert plastic waste into technologies for specific polymers and
repeatedly mechanically recycled, the secondary valuable chemicals as well waste fractions, as well as the imple-
material loses its performance-quality as naphtha, syngas, and CO , which can mentation of already existing pilot,
2
and characteristics depending on the be used as feedstock for the production demonstration or even (semi-) com-
number of recycling loops and the of new polymers. mercial plants. Furthermore, the report
particular polymer. These issues can systematically classifies and describes
therefore not be solved with mechanical Overall, the report presents 127 all recent developments including
recycling alone. advanced recycling technologies that partnerships and joint ventures of the
currently are available on the market last years.
An even greater limitation is set or will soon be. The majority of
by the usable raw materials. In cases identified technologies are located in Dissolution
of mixed plastic waste or mixed Europe including first and foremost the Dissolution describes a solvent-
waste containing various plastics and Netherlands and Germany, followed based technology that is based on physi-
organic waste, mechanical recycling is by North America, Rest of the World, cal processes. Targeted polymers from
no option, or allows only partial solu- China, Japan, CIS, Middle East & Africa. mixed plastic wastes can be dissolved
tions with considerable effort of pre- This report also features six pre- and in a suitable solvent, while the chemical
treatment. In consequence, these waste post-processing technology providers, structure of the polymer remains intact.
streams mostly end up in landfill or which will play a key role in provid- Other plastic components (e.g., addi-
incineration instead of further processing ing add-on solutions for feedstock pre- tives, pigments, fillers, non-targeted
them into a new feedstock. treatment prior to advanced recycling polymers) remain undissolved and can
as well as for the conversion of secon- be cleaned from the dissolved target
This is why advanced recycling dary valuable materials into chemicals, polymer. Afterwards an anti-solvent
technologies are crucial for the circular materials, and fuels. is added to initiate the precipitation of
economy. the target polymer. The polymer can be
A detailed look into the technologies obtained directly; in contrast to solvo-
With advanced recycling a toolbox and their providers worldwide lysis, no polymerisation step is needed.
of versatile technologies is available to The study “Mapping of advanced Currently, the process reaches a maxi-
address plastic waste streams in diffe- plastic waste recycling technologies mum capacity of 8,000-tpa (tonnes per
rent compositions and qualities in order and their global capacities” provides an annum) whereby the majority of the
to transform them into a range of dif- in-depth insight into advanced recyc- nine identified technology providers is
ferent raw materials that can be rein- ling technologies and their providers. located in Europe (four providers), fol-
troduced at different positions along More than 100 technologies and their lowed by North America (three provi-
the value chain of polymers and plas- status are presented in detail listing the ders), China (one provider), and the rest
tics. The technologies include material companies, their strategies and invest- of the word (one provider). With three
recycling based on dissolution (physi- ment as well as cooperation partners. companies the majority of providers are
cal process) from which polymers can To ensure the highest quality of avail- small enterprises followed by micro/
be obtained. Furthermore, numerous able market data, nova market studies start-up- (two companies), medium-
chemical recycling technologies are built on top of latest insights from (two companies), and a large (two com-

174 Chemical Weekly March 12, 2024

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