Poseidon Plastics has signed a memorandum of understanding with DuPont Teijin Films (DTF) covering assistance with development of a plant using Poseidon’s polyester recycling technology.
Poseidon, a polyester waste recycling specialist based in Teesside, is co-developer of a monomer recycling technology which converts the waste into a reusable raw material (rBHET) for production of virgin PET.
Poseidon has already trialled a 1,000-tonne per annum recycling plant, but with the support of DTF the company will look to commercialise its second-generation facility.
This would increase output to 10,000 tonnes per annum.
Referred to as the ‘Poseidon Process’, the recycling technology focuses on waste streams including trays, pots, containers, fibres/fabrics and all types of polyester waste.
As part of the agreement, DTF will support Poseidon with a range of testing and processing technologies to convert BHET into PET polymer and BoPET films.
DTF will also help Poseidon with management of regulatory and legislative standards.
Martin Atkins, CEO of Poseidon stated: “The Poseidon team is delighted to make this announcement today, and we are extremely proud to have taken the “Poseidon Process” to this stage. It is very rewarding to have the recognition from industry leaders as partners, allowing us to learn from their years of experience and know how to expand, accelerate, and scale-up our technology. Completing the supply chain for the circular economy in PET has been one of our primary goals focusing on difficult to recycle waste PET materials.”
Dave Wall, global technology director at DuPont Teijin Films said: “We believe that this type of monomer recycling will play an increasingly important role to boost the circularity of PET, opening up new waste streams which currently cannot be economically mechanically recycled, and providing high value end markets for recycled polyester."
Design and engineering for the proposed plant is scheduled to start in Q1 2020. It is anticipated that the plant will come online in about 18 months.