Neste and Lotte Chemical reach agreement on supply of renewable feedstocks

Although debates over the feasibility of chemical recycling continue to intensify, collaborative ventures relying on its capabilities to help meet demand for alternatives to virgin fossil-based plastics keep emerging. The latest partnership involves Finnish-headquartered Neste supplying its renewable Neste RE feedstock to Lotte Chemical, which will use these materials as raw inputs for producing chemicals and plastics at its Korean manufacturing facilities. Neste RE consists of bio-based carbon derived from waste plastics and used cooking oil via Neste’s ‘Next-Generation Biomass-to-Liquid’ (NEXTBL) process. According to the company’s website, this technology purifies feedstocks during a pre-treatment step, removes oxygen through hydrotreating, and applies isomerization to control branching. 【For more industry knowledge on ‘plastics’, ‘engineering plastics’, ‘modified plastics’, extensive material property databases, numerous material selection case studies, and cost-saving & efficiency-enhancing solutions, visit ‘PlasticHub’!】 Neste claims that using its renewable feedstocks reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 85% compared with fossil-based alternatives—while delivering plastic products of identical quality. Suitable for Diverse Applications In a press release, Lotte stated that plastics and chemicals produced using Neste RE are suitable for a wide range of applications and supply chains—from packaging and construction to textiles and electronics. However, the company did not disclose the volume of feedstock to be supplied. Prior to this announcement, news emerged last month that Eastman is building its second U.S. recycling facility, applying its chemical recycling technology—molecular recycling. One goal of the Longview, Texas plant is to produce recycled PET with over 70% lower carbon emissions than PET made from fossil feedstocks. This project receives partial funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Feasibility Remains Questionable Despite all such deals, many observers remain skeptical about the economic viability of the technology. An article published today by the Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Newsroom reports that the Regenyx facility in Oregon will shut down by the end of this month, 【For more industry knowledge on ‘plastics’, ‘engineering plastics’, ‘modified plastics’, extensive material property databases, numerous material selection case studies, and cost-saving & efficiency-enhancing solutions, visit ‘PlasticHub’!】 raising renewed questions about the effectiveness and feasibility of the process.

$375 million grant reinstated! Eastman plans 30% capacity expansion for polyester recycling facility

Click to view conference details From December 17–19, 2026, the 4th Annual Polymer Recycling & Reuse Conference will be held in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Centered on the theme “Advanced Recycling · High-Value Regeneration · Closed-Loop Applications”, the event will focus on high-quality recycled plastics, chemical recycling, recycling of waste textiles and rubber, polyurethane, and composite materials—featuring discussions on cutting-edge technologies, industrial implementation practices, and downstream applications. Academia, research institutions, and industry professionals are warmly invited to attend and exchange insights. According to information obtained by the “Polymer Recycling & Reuse” platform, on October 29, Eastman announced that its $375 million grant previously awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been reinstated. After deducting approximately $35 million already received under the original agreement for design and engineering expenses, the remaining grant amount stands at roughly $340 million—allocated to Eastman’s revised U.S. polyester recycling investment plan. This grant was originally intended to support Eastman’s construction of its second U.S. molecular recycling facility in Longview, Texas. As outlined in Eastman’s 2024 plan, the facility was projected to recycle approximately 110,000 metric tons of hard-to-recycle plastic waste annually. However, per Eastman’s 2025 Annual Report, the DOE terminated the grant on May 29, 2025. Following reinstatement of funding, the project scope has been adjusted. First, expanding capacity at Eastman’s existing Kingsport facility. Eastman plans to increase the output of its commercial methanolysis plant in Kingsport, Tennessee, by approximately 30%—achievable by eliminating production bottlenecks and implementing technological upgrades. The company states that this expansion requires only modest capital investment and has now been incorporated into the DOE-funded scope. Second, reactivating and upgrading underutilized U.S. recycling assets. Related investments will cover waste collection, processing, and recycled-material production—strengthening the feedstock supply chain and processing infrastructure for hard-to-recycle polyester waste. The second U.S. methanolysis facility remains under milestone-based, phased planning—with site selection and construction timing retained as flexible options.

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