Green tie-ups: Sabic/Plastic Energy produce first batch of pyoil in Netherlands; Chemetall/Circular Plastics to drive plastics recycling in Vietnam

Chemical recycler Plastic Energy has announced the production of its first batch of Tacoil at its joint venture plant with chemical firm Sabic in Geleen, the Netherlands. This marks a key milestone on the road to full commercial operations. Once fully operational, the plant will recycle 20,000 tonnes/year of plastic waste.

Tacoil is made from hard-to-recycle post-consumer plastic waste that would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfill. It serves as a replacement for conventional naphtha in existing petrochemical plants, enabling the manufacture of food-contact packaging, medical-grade plastics and other high-quality products.

The polymers produced at the plant will significantly increase commercial volumes of circular polymers which have been used by brand owners in a variety of consumer and packaging products since 2019.

Plastic Energy’s patented TAC chemical recycling process breaks down mixed plastic waste using heat in an oxygen-free environment. The technology, already proven at industrial scale at Plastic Energy’s plants in Spain, is designed to plug directly into the existing plastics value chain.

Less than 30% of Europe’s 32 million tonnes of plastic waste is currently recycled and the new facility, which is set to be the first example of a third-party chemical recycling technology being integrated into an existing petrochemical facility, will help support and enable the EU’s goal under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) for all packaging to be fully recyclable by 2030.

This project is being executed with a Top Sector Energy Subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands.

In other news, the Surface Treatment global business unit of German firm BASF’s Coatings division, operating under the Chemetall brand, has been selected to supply PET recycling washing solutions for Circular Plastics Company’s new plastic recycling plant in Vung Tau, Vietnam.

Chemetall will provide a range of novel technologies tailored for Circular Plastics Company’s facilities, which recycle post-consumer PET plastics into food-grade products in Myanmar and Vietnam. They include Gardoclean cleaning agents, Gardobond additives for PET/polyolefin separation and defoaming.

The integration of these technologies substantially improves the quality of treated flakes, boosts productivity, and reduces energy and resource consumption. The solutions also enable the plastic recycler to produce washed flakes that comply with food contact standards.

“We are excited that our successful collaboration with Circular Plastics Company continues to strengthen, extending from Myanmar to Vietnam. As the plastics recycling industry evolves in Southeast Asia, Chemetall is dedicated to growing alongside our customers by offering differentiated PET and plastics recycling solutions and expertise that enhance quality, drive efficiency, and support the positive development of a circular economy,” said Evelyn Shen, Vice President, Chemetall Asia Pacific.

Amidst the growing demand for recycled plastics in the emerging markets of Southeast Asia, the collaboration between Chemetall and Circular Plastics Company exemplifies a shared commitment to leveraging innovations to tackle process challenges, create value for new material cycles, and achieve circular economy goals. 

Chemetall offers a specialised portfolio of cleaning technologies and process expertise for the plastics recycling industry, enabling customers to elevate operational productivity and product quality, while supporting the industry’s shift toward a more sustainable future.
 

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