UK-based petrochemical Mura Technology has opened a commercial-scale plant using its HydroPRS chemical recycling technology. It is the world’s first commercial-scale plastics recycling facility deploying the hydrocracking technology. The first recycled hydrocarbon products are expected to be delivered to Mura’s offtake partners in early 2024.
The facility, located in Teesside, northeast England, will initially have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes a year, with scope to triple the initial capacity. The purpose-built facility at the Wilton International industrial site will process flexible and rigid mixed plastics, including films, that cannot currently be mechanically recycled.
Unlike pyrolysis, the HydroPRS process utilises water under high pressure and high temperature to convert post-consumer, multi layered, flexible and rigid plastics such as films, pots, tubs and trays into high yields of hydrocarbon feedstocks. Independent Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) based on the first site at Teesside have shown the HydroPRS process provides 80% carbon emissions saving by diverting unrecyclable plastic away from incineration. When compared to fossil oil-based feedstock, however, HydroPRS produces products with an equivalent or lower Global Warming Potential, whilst saving up to five barrels of oil for every tonne of plastic waste processed.
Mura’s investors present at the opening ceremony include executives from Dow Chemical, LG Chem, igus, and Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem).
“The opening of our first-of-its-kind, next generation recycling facility is a groundbreaking achievement and the culmination of four years of dedication,” said Dr Steve Mahon, Mura Technology’s CEO. “With support from our partners, the Teesside site will be the first in Mura’s global roll-out, helping in the fight against the plastic pollution and global warming crises and acting as a launchpad for the 1,000,000 tonnes of annual recycling capacity that Mura plans to have in operation and development in this decade.”
Mura and its partners are developing other chemical recycling plants in the US and at Dow's Böhlen site in Germany. Alongside these investments, the company has secured partnerships with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, LG Chem and GS Caltex Corporation for the development of HydroPRS facilities under licence in Japan and South Korea.