Freepoint, Renewi plan feedstock agreement for Ghent chemical recycling plant

US-based Freepoint Eco-Systems and Renewi, a waste management company serving the Benelux area, have announced plans to build a sorting line to produce feedstock for Freepoint’s planned pyrolysis plant in Ghent, Belgium.

This May, Freepoint said it is planning to build its first chemical recycling plant in Europe, with capacity to process 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year. Construction is planned to start upon completion of the permitting process, which is expected in 2025.

Now, Renewi and Freepoint said they intend to enter a long-term cooperation to produce feedstock for the facility. The partnership would involve the construction of a new sorting facility with capacity to process 80,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste a year.

Renewi already operates plastic waste sorting plants and is expected to apply its expertise in the new line. In April 2023, the company inaugurated a 125,000 tonnes/year sorting line for industrial residual waste in Ghent. This March, Renewi opened a new sorting plant for hard plastics in Acht, the Netherlands. It has achieved a purity of at least 95% for PP and PE.  

"This collaboration fits perfectly with our strategy as a waste-to-product company and represents a significant milestone in our commitment to a circular economy and sustainable solutions,” said Mark Thys, Chief Operating Officer of Commercial Waste for Renewi. “By combining our expertise in the waste and chemical sectors, we aim to address the growing need for innovative processes in the treatment of end-of-life plastics," he added.

 Freepoint is currently building a 90,000 tonnes/year pyrolysis plant in Ohio, United States, which it said is scheduled to start operations this year. It has also announced plans for another 180,000 tonnes/year plant in Eloy, Arizona.