Lummus, MOL Group move forward with chemical recycling plant in Hungary

Texas-based Lummus Technology and Budapest-headquartered oil and gas corporation MOL Group are moving ahead with the chemical recycling partnership they announced in 2023.  

The companies announced they started the design phase for the first chemical recycling plant at MOL’s site in Tiszaújváro, Hungary. The facility will use Lummus’ pyrolysis technology to process 40,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste a year.

The plant will feature a fully electric pyrolysis reactor which will result in zero direct scope one emissions from the unit during normal operation, Lummus said in a statement.

Lummus technology, called Lummus New Hope Plastic Pyrolysis Technology, transforms postconsumer and post-industrial plastic waste into pyrolysis oil that can be fed into suitable existing steam or catalytic crackers for a full circular solution or blended to make sustainable fuels. According to the technical sheet of the technology, the yield for hydrocarbons for further processing is 70%. Lummus' Green Circle is the exclusive global licencing party for this process technology and supports projects by providing basic engineering design packages, proprietary equipment, technical services, and modular execution strategies.

MOL will use the pyrolysis oil for further processing at its petrochemical plant. Lummus will also support it with its experience and expertise in steam cracking, catalytic cracking, and residue processing technology to ensure that integration with MOL's existing assets is optimised.

"This is another milestone for Lummus and MOL Group, and a significant step towards increasing the circularity of our industry," said Leon de Bruyn, President and CEO of Lummus Technology. "We are leveraging Lummus' innovative technology and MOL's operational excellence to further our joint commitment of providing sustainable solutions that address global plastic waste challenges."

The project is the first of an array of planned facilities at MOL’s sites in Hungary and Slovakia.

Over the past few years, MOL has invested in plastics recycling, first with the acquisition of recycled plastics compounder Aurora Kunststoffe and in 2022 with the purchase of ReMat Zrt, a recycler with production plants located in Tiszaújváros and Rakamaz, Hungary, and a logistics hub in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Today, with a total annual capacity from both companies of 40,000 tonnes, MOL can offer a wide range of sustainable compounds for various industries, including the automotive, construction, building and packaging sectors. MOL also entered into a strategic partnership with German company APK, whose solvent-based Newcycling process produces high-quality polymers from complex plastic waste. The company's aim is to build a production portfolio of more than 100,000 tons of recycled plastic materials, ultimately to become a key player in the circular economy in Central and Eastern Europe.