Following the wave of chemical recycling, BASF, Borealis and Mitsubishi Chemical have new moves!

As a complementary solution to mechanical recycling, chemical recycling converts waste plastics into chemical products, avoiding the use of fossil raw materials for production, so chemical recycling promises to reduce the demand for the planet's limited fossil resources, as well as greenhouse gas emissions
.
Many international chemical companies hope to achieve "carbon reduction" while ensuring the same performance of recycled materials and raw materials
.

BASF's Ultramid recycled material receives UL certification

BASF announced this week that its Ultramid Ccycled recycled polymer produced at its Freeport, Texas, U.
S.
facility has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
(UL)
.

Ultramid Ccycled polymers recycled from post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics can meet recycled content standards using a mass balance system according to UL2809
.
The grade of the polymer has the same properties as the raw material, does not require adjustment of traditional processing methods, can be used in applications such as packaging film, carpet and furniture, and is a sustainable raw material alternative
.

“As a chemical manufacturer, we regularly re-evaluate our product portfolio and processes,” said Chris Witte, senior vice president of BASF’s Freeport, Texas facility.
more sustainable production methods
.
”

BASF is working on novel chemical processes that continue to convert some waste plastics into new, valuable raw materials
.
This approach reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fossil feedstock inputs, while maintaining product quality and performance
.

Randall Hulvey, Director of BASF North America, added: "Our new Ultramid Ccycled grades offer the same high mechanical strength, stiffness and thermal stability as conventional grades, in addition to helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals
.
"

Borealis expands chemical recycling feedstock

Borealis has signed an agreement this month with Renasci Oostende Recycling NV, under which Renasci will acquire all chemical recycling feedstocks from its high-tech recycling centre in Oostende, Belgium
.
Expected to deliver 20,000 tonnes of production annually to Borealis, the agreement will make Borealis one of the world's leading suppliers of chemical recycling base chemicals and polyolefins
.

According to reports, the waste processed by Renasci's ISCC PLUS-certified recycling center mainly comes from dry household waste and some industrial waste
.
The recycling steps are as follows: firstly, the waste plastics are classified multiple times to extract the waste plastics suitable for mechanical recycling
.
Waste plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled are chemically recycled
.
These chemically recovered feedstocks will then be processed in Borealis steam cracking furnaces and are currently mainly produced at the plant in Povo, Finland
.

As a complement to mechanical recycling, chemical recycling plays an important role in the closed-loop material cycle of plastics
.
This is because lower-quality waste plastics can be chemically recycled into high-quality materials
.
In fact, products produced from chemically recycled feedstocks have the same level of performance as those produced from petroleum-based materials
.
This enables the production of high-end polyolefin applications, including healthcare and food packaging materials, which must adhere to strict quality and safety regulations that are not always met using mechanically recycled materials
.

"Our agreement with Renasci complements OMV ReOil's 'OMV ReOil® chemical recycling program
.
Martijn van Koten, Executive Vice President Borealis Basic Chemicals and Operations
.
We are noticing a significant increase in demand for chemical recycling products
.
Borealis and OMV aim to increase the supply of these recycled basic chemicals and polyolefins, to help customers achieve their sustainability goals
.
”

Mitsubishi Chemical accelerates chemical recycling commercialization

Mitsubishi Chemical has signed a licensing agreement with plastics chemical recycler Mura Technology for a process called HydroPRS, which extracts recycled oil from waste plastics
.

Mitsubishi Chemical continues to consider converting raw materials into non-fossil-based materials and developing chemical recycling technologies for waste plastics to achieve a circular economy
.
Under the agreement with Mura, Mitsubishi Chemical plans to introduce HydroPRS technology to accelerate the commercialization of chemical recycling of waste plastics
.

HydroPRS is an innovative process that uses high temperature, high pressure supercritical water to convert plastics into recycled chemicals and oils
.
Compared to traditional direct pyrolysis techniques, the process can yield high yields of regenerated oil of the same quality as petroleum-derived feedstocks, which can be put into existing equipment without pretreatment
.
Mitsubishi Chemical believes that plastics previously incinerated or landfilled can be recycled through chemical recycling and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and fossil fuel consumption throughout the plastic life cycle, which will greatly contribute to the realization of a circular economy
.