Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
December 19, 2019 10:58 AM

Cross-industry consortium formed for PET chemical recycling

  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    BP

    Project to target difficult-to-recycle plastic food trays and coloured bottles

    BP’s Infinia recycling technology has taken a step closer to commercialisation with the formation of a consortium to advance the chemical recycling of PET plastic waste.
     
    As part of the collaboration, leading Europe-based multinational companies from consumer goods, packaging and waste management sectors – Britvic, Danone, Unilever, Alpla and Remondis – joined forces with BP to help the company scale-up its recycling technology, unveiled earlier this year.
     
    The novel  technology targets difficult-to-recycle plastic food trays and coloured bottles that are currently simply being landfilled or incinerated. 
     
    BP’s Infinia technology is designed to turn opaque and difficult-to-recycle PET plastic waste into recycled feedstocks that can be used to make new, high-quality PET plastic packaging with similar quality to that of virgin materials.
     
    The technology involves chemically converting complex PET plastic waste back to original monomer feedstocks through a depolymerisation process. The process aims to purify the monomer into recycled terephthalic acid and recycled monoethylene glycol.
     
    The European consortium will combine the capabilities and experience of its members to develop the infrastructure and demand for a new circular approach to dealing with PET plastic waste, BP said in a release 19 Dec.
     
    PET is a plastic widely used for rigid food packaging and drinks, personal care and homecare bottles. It is a lightweight, durable and versatile material and one of the most collected and recycled types of plastic.
     
    Of the PET plastic bottles collected globally, more than 75% are recycled, but only 12% of those collected make it back into new bottles, according to BP.
     
    The remainder, BP maintains, is currently lost from the bottle-to-bottle loop as it is used for other applications for which separate collection schemes are currently lacking. 
     
    “We are… working together with industry leaders to develop and prove a practical business model that can hopefully contribute to making all types of polyester waste infinitely recyclable,” said Rita Griffin, BP chief operating officer for petrochemicals. 
     
    In October, BP announced plans to build a €22m pilot unit in Naperville, US, to bring the “breakthrough” technology to North America by 2020.
     

    Newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Sustainable Plastics' news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Sustainable Plastics Media Kit Cover

    Subscriptions to Sustainable Plastics, the leading Pan-European magazine for the circular plastics industry.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    "In a changing world, Sustainable Plastics is a constant: a platform the plastics industry can rely on to deliver the news and knowhow impacting the industry going forward”

    Contact Us

    11 Ironmonger Lane, EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom 
     

    Customer Service:
    1-313-446-0450

    [email protected]

     

    Resources
    • Advertise
    • Sitemap
    • Careers
    • Subscribe
    Affiliates
    • Plastics News
    • LSR World
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Recycling
      • Sustainability
      • Bioplastics
      • Technology & Materials
        • Injection Moulding
        • Blow Moulding
        • Extrusion
        • Thermoforming
        • 3D printing
        • Technology
        • Materials
        • Machinery
    • Opinion
      • View Point
    • Events
      • Our Exhibitions
        • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
      • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
      • Ask the Expert
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia