Styrenics supplier Ineos Styrolution, and Recycling Technologies, a specialist plastic recycling technology provider signed a joint development agreement (JDA) earlier today to further advance the development of recycling of polystyrene in Europe.
Recycling Technologies has developed proprietary technology and expertise in the area of building modular reactor units, designed for the thermal recycling of mixed plastics using pyrolysis. Ineos Styrolution brings its extensive knowledge and expertise in polymer science and production, backed by its advanced technology, to the deal. With the agreement, the companies are promoting a more circular approach to prevent this resource from being incinerated or ending up in landfills.
“This partnership creates the basis for a more circular economy in polystyrene allowing its users to achieve their challenging recycling targets set by all their stakeholders,” said Adrian Griffiths, CEO & Founder of Recycling Technologies Ltd.
The companies have already tested the technology on Recycling Technologies’ Mark II test reactor. The results were excellent, demonstrating that the depolymerisation technology developed for mixed plastics - can also be used to process polystyrene.
Further work will involve adapting the current unit, which is based on Recycling Technologies’ fluidised bed technology, for the commercial recycling of polystyrene.
“Recycling Technologies’ fluidised bed technology is a very promising technology to drive our joint agenda forward,” said Sven Riechers, Vice President, Business Management, Standard Products, EMEA at Ineos Styrolution.
Depolymerisation, say the companies, has the potential to close the loop, creating a circular economy for polystyrene and making the material a more valuable polymer. In addition, recycled polystyrene produced using this technology may also meet the high specifications demanded for food contact materials and packaging regulations.