MOSCOW (MRC) -- Plastic Energy (London, UK) is collaborating with ExxonMobil on a new recycling plant in France, which is anticipate to start up in 2023 according to EPPM.
The new facility will convert post-consumer plastic waste into raw materials for the manufacture of virgin-quality polymers.
Plastic Energy and ExxonMobil have been developing plans since 2018. A final investment decision on this project is expected in mid-2021 with startup anticipated in 2023.
Under terms of the agreements with affiliates of ExxonMobil, Plastic Energy will build, own and operate an advanced recycling plant adjacent to ExxonMobil’s Notre Dame de Gravenchon petrochemical complex. The plant will convert difficult-to-recycle mixed plastic waste into raw materials that can be transformed into certified circular polymers and other high-value products at ExxonMobil’s petrochemical complex.
The construction of this new advanced recycling plant will support the circular economy in Europe and will add to Plastic Energy’s growing portfolio of recycling units.
Plastic Energy’s patented, innovative technology transforms plastic waste into raw materials that can be used to create virgin-quality polymers.
The project is expected to be one of the largest advanced recycling plants in Europe, with an initial capacity of 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year, and plans to scale up to 33,000 tonnes in the near future.
Karen McKee, President, ExxonMobil Chemical, said: “Our plans with Plastic Energy demonstrate how industry, government and consumers can work together to build a more circular system to capture value from post-use plastic. We’re well-positioned to add value through our expertise in plastic manufacturing and high-performance products to help advance projects like this, which deliver sustainable solutions at scale.”
As MRC wrote previously, ExxonMobil is to shut its aromatics plant in Rotterdam-Botlek, Netherlands, for a six-week maintenance in March-April 2021. This turnaround is part of a larger repairs program at ExxonMobil"s interconnected 191,000-b/d Botlek refinery and Rotterdam aromatics plant beginning in the first quarter. The Rotterdam aromatics plant is one of the largest aromatics production facilities globally and produces pure aromatics such as benzene, orthoxylene, paraxylene (PX), and cyclohexane.
Benzene is a feedstock for the production of styrene monomer (SM), which, in its turn, is a feedstock for manufacturing polystyrene (PS).
According to MRC"s ScanPlast report, January 2021 estimated consumption of PS and styrene plastics in Russia rose by 12% year on year, totalling 45,640 tonnes. The estimated consumption increased year on year for all PS grades.
ExxonMobil is the largest non-government owned company in the energy industry and produces about 3% of the world"s oil and about 2% of the world"s energy.
MRC