#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-10-21

Plastic Energy announces final investment decision and start of construction works for advanced recycling plant in France

Plastic Energy has today announced the final investment decision and start of construction for its advanced recycling plant in northern France. The large-scale recycling plant will have a capacity of 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste per annum, with plans to scale-up to 33,000 tonnes in the near future, and will be adjacent to ExxonMobil’s Notre Dame de Gravenchon petrochemical complex.

FID for advanced recycling project near Le Havre, France, has been reached after announcement of initial collaboration agreement with ExxonMobil in March 2021

Civil works have begun on the large-scale 25,000 tonne/annum recycling plant for end-of-life plastics, with start-up anticipated for 2023

Plans were finalised after the project was awarded the necessary environmental permits to begin construction in July

The announcement of the FID and start of civil works comes after the granting of environmental permits for the project in July of 2021. These permits ensure that the Plastic Energy plant will abide by all European environmental regulations from construction to continuous operation.

Earlier this year, Plastic Energy signed an offtake collaboration agreement with ExxonMobil. As per the agreement, TACOIL (or recycled oils) from this Plastic Energy plant will be used by ExxonMobil to create virgin-quality certified circular polymers and other high-value products. Start-up of the advanced recycling plant is anticipated in 2023.

Plastic Energy is a global leader in advanced recycling, specialising in recycling end-of-life plastics that would otherwise be destined for landfill, incineration or end up in the environment. The company’s patented, innovative technology transforms plastic waste into raw materials that can be used as a substitute for fossil oils in the manufacturing of virgin- quality food-grade packaging.

“We are excited to announce that construction is going ahead for our large-scale advanced recycling plant in France, which will recycle mixed post-consumer plastic waste,” said Carlos Monreal, Founder and CEO of Plastic Energy. “Through our collaboration with ExxonMobil, we are working towards making plastics more sustainable for the future.”

“ExxonMobil is investing in projects around the world that help society address the challenge of plastic waste in the environment,” said Loic Vivier, senior vice president of Performance Derivatives, ExxonMobil Chemical Company. “With the addition of well- designed policies and collaboration across industries, the advanced recycling opportunities we are evaluating and executing have the potential for large-scale, game-changing improvements to the circularity of plastic products.”

The construction of this plant will benefit the circular economy in France by diverting plastic waste from linear treatments, and reducing both plastic waste in the environment, and the depletion of natural resources.

This project has received financial support from the French government as part of their Plan de Relance and Regional Planning Grant Scheme.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

Indorama Ventures advances circular fashion through RECO Collective 2026

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, is taking RECO Collective into its 12th year under the theme “The Next Original,” reinforcing its mission to promote recycling and upcycling knowledge while encouraging SMEs in the fashion industry to embrace recycled materials. The program focuses particularly on recycled polyester (rPET) yarns and fabrics made from post-consumer PET bottles, using these materials to create value-added products that combine distinctive design with consumer needs and market opportunities.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

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WHILL selects Teijin’s tough, lightweight Carbon Fiber Composite for new last-mile mobility

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ZymoChem secures $4 million in renewed federal funding to advance U.S. biomanufacturing of critical materials and their supply chains

ZymoChem, the specialty chemicals company dedicated to bringing decarbonization, sustainability, and supply chain resiliency to the chemical industry through innovative biological manufacturing, today announced the resumption and expansion of its federal research portfolio. The company has been notified that previously paused work under a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program is officially back on, to be joined by continuing collaborations with three of the nation's premier national laboratories.