Recycling: Circularix launches 2nd rPET facility in US; China’s Recon constructs 40 kilotonnes/year chemical recycling plant

US-based producer of food-grade recycled PET (rPET resin) Circularix has announced the successful completion and commercial start-up of its new recycling facility in Ocala, Florida. The site complements Circularix's flagship facility in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, and significantly expands the company's ability to deliver food-grade rPET resin to leading consumer brands.

Each facility is capable of producing 55 million pounds/year of food-grade rPET pellets.

In addition to the Ocala launch, Circularix has begun plans to double capacity in Hatfield by taking over the adjacent industrial space. Once complete, the company says the expansion will allow the location to produce 110 million pounds/year of pellets.

The company notes that is mission is to ensure rPET “meets the highest standards” of quality, consistency and safety for use in beverage, food and consumer packaging applications. With the Ocala facility now operational, the company plans to build a network of sites across the US, with its long-term pellet production goals to be guided by its core customers.

"We built and commissioned this plant in record time," said Leon Farahnik, Founder and CEO of Circularix. "From landing equipment in mid-March to reaching full production by August 1, this milestone is a testament to the dedication and expertise of our team. Their commitment made it possible to bring our second facility online at unprecedented speed."

Meanwhile, in China, Recon Technology Ltd, a Chinese provider of oilfield and low-carbon energy services, announced that the main manufacturing plant for Shandong Recon Renewable Resources Technology Co's 40,000-tonne/year waste plastic chemical recycling project has finished construction. This marks a key breakthrough in the project's construction, as it officially enters the equipment installation and commissioning phase.

To date, the company has invested over US$15 million in this project. The project is expected to be fully completed by November 2025, and a required one-month trial operations production phase will commence in December 2025, in accordance with domestic regulatory laws, rules, and regulations.

The Recon recycling project spans an area of approximately 50 acres. Upon completion and commencement of operations, the main construction components of the project will include six pyrolysis units, two distillation units, and corresponding environmental protection facilities. The project is expected to produce 30,000 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil and 6,000 tonnes of carbon residue annually, generating an estimated US$30 million in annual returns and achieving the high-value conversion of waste plastic resources, Recon says.

Recon adds it is currently engaged in in-depth discussions with several multinational chemical giants and domestic chemical companies. The company has successfully signed product purchase intent and strategic cooperation agreements to jointly explore the diverse applications of its high-value pyrolysis oil products.

The project adopts a dual-process approach combining catalytic pyrolysis and catalytic reforming. The pyrolysis process employs a "horizontal screw-type three-stage continuous reactor" for the first time, and effectively addressing the technical challenge of plastic coking in traditional processes and ensuring stable and continuous feedstock supply.

Additionally, the introduction of catalytic reforming significantly increases the olefin content of the pyrolysis oil, substantially enhancing its value and competitiveness in the market.

 Currently, the primary raw material for this project is membrane film-type waste plastic, which is difficult to process using physical recycling methods.

Recon says it supplies China's largest oil exploration companies Sinopec and CNPC with advanced automated technologies, gathering and transportation equipment and reservoir stimulation measure for increasing petroleum extraction levels, reducing impurities and lowering production costs.

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