MOSCOW (MRC) -- PureCycle Technologies, Inc., a company revolutionizing polypropylene recycling, announced a signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui) as a first step to developing and operating a recycling facility in Japan to transform polypropylene (PP) waste into Ultra-Pure Recycled Polypropylene (UPRP), said Process-worldwide.
“We believe Mitsui is the best partner for PureCycle to help us lead and navigate the process of building an ultra-pure recycled polypropylene plant in Japan,” said Mike Otworth, PureCycle CEO, “Through the collaboration with Mitsui, we are now one step closer to our goal of reducing plastic waste across the world and revolutionizing the way people use plastic products. There is no reason polypropylene waste shouldn’t be recycled and transformed into ultra-pure, sustainable polypropylene.”
“Mitsui has identified ‘sustainability management and the evolution of ESG’ as key areas of its Corporate Strategy,” said Hiroshi Kakiuchi, managing officer, chief operating officer of the Performance Materials Business Unit at Mitsui, “Through this new joint project with PureCycle, Mitsui aims to contribute to the overall reduction of plastic waste and the establishment of a circular economy in Japan. By securing plastic waste as the raw material, manufacturing recycled PP resin, and expanding the applications of the material for consumer goods, food containers, and automobile interiors, Mitsui aims to make a meaningful contribution to the creation of the more sustainable society.”
Mitsui’s expertise will position PureCycle very well in Japan and will expand operations globally. Mitsui will help facilitate the pre-construction, on-the-ground operations and will be an integral part of PureCycle’s work in Japan.
The MOU with Mitsui comes on the heels of PureCycle’s successful second quarter 2021 update. Construction on the flagship Ironton, Ohio PureCycle recycling facility is well underway and expected to begin commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2022, and the company recently announced the location for the first cluster facility in Augusta, Georgia. PureCycle has already presold more than 20 years of UPRP output from the Ohio plant and has already allocated 40% of its second plant in Augusta to Ohio facility customers. PureCycle is seeing strong demand from premium brands, like L’Oreal, who are looking to deliver recycled content into premium applications without sacrificing quality.
As per MRC, PureCycle Technologies, Inc., the innovative recycled polypropylene (PP) producer, is in plans to start operating its flagship PP recycling plant at Ironton, Ohio, which will convert carpet scraps based on PP composite material into high-purity pellets, at scale in late 2022. The company has ordered two extruders from Germany-based plastics machinery manufacturer KraussMaffei for this plant.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.
PureCycle Technologies LLC, a subsidiary of PureCycle Technologies, Inc., holds a global license to commercialize the only patented solvent-based purification recycling technology, developed by The Procter & Gamble Company, for restoring waste polypropylene (PP) into ultra-pure resin. The proprietary process removes color, odor and other contaminants from recycled feedstock resulting in ultra-pure polypropylene suitable for any PP market.
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (8031: JP) is a global trading and investment company with a diversified business portfolio that spans approximately 64 countries in Asia, Europe, North, Central & South America, The Middle East, Africa and Oceania. Mitsui has over 5,600 employees and deploys talent around the globe to identify, develop, and grow businesses in collaboration with a global network of trusted partners. Mitsui has built a strong and diverse core business portfolio covering the Mineral and Metal Resources, Energy, Machinery and Infrastructure, and Chemicals industries.
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