Groningen, the Netherlands-based BioBTX B.V., a company that has developed proprietary technology enabling the production of renewable aromatics from waste, and chemical recycling company Agilyx have announced a new collaboration aimed at the further scale up of BioBTX’ technology.
The two partners are planning a commercial demonstration plant - BioBTX's first - based on a combination of Agilyx pyrolysis technology and BioBTX’s catalytic technology to explore the production of renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene, xylene, or BTX).
Agilyx's technology enables the processing of difficult-to-recycle post consumer waste plastics, producing pyrolysis vapours that BioBTX’s catalytic technology then converts into aromatic chemicals.
The integration of these two technologies will yield a high quality BTX product, meeting the demanding specifications of the chemical industry whilst also converting difficult to recycle plastic waste streams.
Aromatic chemicals are fundamental building blocks of the chemical industry. With a market size of approximately €200 billion per year, growing to € 500 billion or more in 2050 the potential is enormous. They are used to produce everything from drugs to nylon clothing and key elements of the green energy transition like wind turbine blades.
The deal is a 'first of its kind' collaboration in Europe between Agilyx and BioBTX to produce renewable aromatic chemicals in the Benelux region and, noted Tim Stedman, CEO of Agilyx, who called it a significant milestone for chemical recycling.
“We are thrilled to bring these two technologies together for this innovative collaboration,” he said.
The announcement comes as the EU pushes ahead with its Circular Economy Action Plan which seeks to address the interface between chemicals, products, and waste legislation.
"In a sustainable future, carbon demand needs to be obtained from renewable sources. This partnership between Agilyx and BioBTX is a key stepping stone on the path to a truly circular society," said Ton Vries, CEO of BioBTX. "We decided to work together with Agilyx, a global leader in pyrolysis technology for waste plastic on a commercial scale. This cooperation shows that BioBTX and Agilyx are complementary and add value to each other, like Diels and Alder."