Almost 270 delegates attended the 20. and November 21, 2024 in Cologne at the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) – the leading conference for advanced recycling in Europe
At the Advanced Recycling Conference 2024, which took place on 20. and 21. November 2024 in Cologne and online, speakers from leading companies and research institutions gave an overview of the current status and prospects of advanced recycling technologies. Processes such as pyrolysis, gasification, depolymerization and dissolution were presented in their various facets. The conference received positive feedback from participants, who praised the diverse, detailed and high-quality information. Many highlighted the valuable networking opportunity, which is crucial in a rapidly evolving industry. Attendees frequently commented that the event had exceeded their expectations.
From resolution to broad-based strategies
Dissolution has been recognized as a promising solution for advanced recycling and has been discussed in the context of different materials: ABS and PC (e.g. Trinseo, Netherlands, and ReSolved Technologies, Netherlands), PE and PP (e.g. PureCycle, Belgium, and Reventas, United Kingdom), PS (e.g. Polystyvert, Canada) and PVC (e.g. INEOS Inovyn, Belgium). These technologies offer shorter and more energy-efficient recycling routes.
In the panel discussions and in the exchange with the audience, one important insight emerged: no single solution can meet all challenges. A multi-layered approach is still essential to meet the specific requirements of advanced recycling.
As plastic waste continues to pose a challenge to global environmental sustainability, industry experts are exploring innovative recycling technologies to tackle complex waste streams. In her presentation, Outi Teräs from Neste (Finland) emphasized the need for physical and chemical recycling to tackle all plastic waste streams that cannot be recovered through mechanical recycling.
The challenges of mechanical recycling
At the Advanced Recycling Conference, reference was made to the mechanical recycling of PET, which is well established in Europe, particularly in Germany, through programs such as the bottle deposit. This process is effective, but encounters considerable challenges with complex waste streams such as mixed plastics and textiles. From a process engineering perspective, mechanical recycling of these materials is very challenging and the resulting recyclate is unsuitable for contact-sensitive applications.
Due to these limitations, advanced depolymerization technologies have been highlighted as promising solutions. Innovations based on solvolysis (e.g. DePoly in Switzerland), solid state hydrolysis (e.g. matterr in Germany) and enzymolysis (e.g. EU project WhiteCycle and Plasticentropy in France) show great potential for the treatment of complex PET waste streams. These technologies are characterized by the fact that they break down PET into its monomers and thus enable the production of virgin-quality recycled PET.
These advanced processes are considered ideal candidates for meeting the prescribed quotas for recycled PET and offer the opportunity to improve the recycling rate and quality in applications where conventional methods are not sufficient.
Pyrolysis as an important recycling route
Pyrolysis, although a more time-consuming and energy-intensive process than chemical dissolution, has proven to be an important recycling route for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) waste, particularly for the production of virgin recycled plastics suitable for contact-sensitive applications. Due to its ability to process different waste streams and achieve high quality results, it is an essential complement to mechanical recycling.
An outstanding example is the collaboration between Austrian companies Borealis and OMV, who have developed an integrated business model for the combination of pyrolysis and mechanical recycling. OMV’s new demonstration plant with a capacity of 16,000 tons per year was recently commissioned, and there are plans for a commercial plant with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year by 2028.
Recent advances further optimize pyrolysis and other thermochemical technologies, with a focus on improving robustness, energy efficiency, yield, product quality and economic performance. For example, AES Autonome Energiesysteme (Germany) is expanding accessibility through small-scale pyrolysis plants, enabling wider application. Mura Technology (United Kingdom) has developed a process that is tolerant of organic contaminants and eliminates the need for pre-drying, while Aduro Clean Technologies (Canada) aims for higher quality end products without the need for hydro-treatment, significantly shortening the recycling process.
These innovations demonstrate the growing potential of pyrolysis to handle complex plastic waste streams while making progress towards a circular economy.
The future of advanced recycling in Europe
In the midst of the economic crisis facing the European chemicals and plastics industry, advanced recycling offers a compelling opportunity to decarbonize the sector and attract much-needed investment. In the “Markets, Investment and Financing” session, experts examined Europe’s position in this transition. They emphasized that while it may be difficult for European companies to compete with China in the production of new polymers, a strategic shift towards advanced recycling could offer a competitive advantage. By using imported plastic waste as a raw material for a new, circular chemical industry, Europe could establish itself as a leader in sustainable innovation and promote resilience and economic growth in the sector.
Given the challenges of global market pressures and supply chain vulnerabilities, the experts emphasized the importance of promoting regional solutions. In his presentation, Gerben Hieminga from ING Group N.V. (Netherlands) emphasized that developing more localized value chains could be an effective solution to reduce dependence on and pressure on international markets.
Marc Spekreijse from Circular Plastics (Netherlands) pointed out the high revenue the Commission generates from the levy on non-recycled plastics, which is regulated differently in each member state and is far higher than the additional cost of recycled plastics.
Europe is currently at the forefront of technological development in the field of advanced recycling and has the best established waste collection system. By adopting strong recycling policies and stimulating demand, Europe could attract new investment and drive defossilization by using less fossil feedstock, recycling more and keeping carbon in the loop.
The event was made possible by the generous support of sponsors DePoly, EREMA Group, Starlinger and Buss ChemTech, whose contributions underlined their commitment to promoting sustainable recycling technologies.
Registration for the Advanced Recycling Conference 2025 from November 19 to 20 in Cologne will open at the beginning of December: https://advanced-recycling.eu/registration/.
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