Green news: Aduro to set up recycling plant in Netherlands; ExxonMobil starts up third Baytown recycling unit in Texas

Aduro Clean Technologies Inc, a clean technology company, says it has selected Chemelot Industrial Park (CIP) in Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands, located within the Chemelot chemical site, as the location for its planned industrial scale-up facility.

The plant will deploy Hydrochemolytic technology for the chemical recycling of waste plastics, building on prior pilot scale validation, and previously referred to in the company’s public disclosures as the demonstration plant. Aduro’s industrial scale-up facility is expected to begin operations at an initial processing capacity of approximately 10,000 tonnes/year, with the selected site providing sufficient space and infrastructure to support phased expansion and a long-term industrial presence.

As an established site for steam cracking and downstream polymer production, Chemelot provides a relevant industrial environment for technologies producing circular hydrocarbon intermediates intended as alternatives to fossil-based naphtha.

Brightlands Chemelot Campus is located at Chemelot and serves as an open-innovation and scale-up ecosystem for the chemical and materials industries. The campus provides access to applied research capabilities and shared laboratory and development infrastructure that support technology development and industrial implementation. Aduro has been active within the Brightlands ecosystem since 2021 as part of its European technology development activities.

The final decision reflected Chemelot’s ability to support permanent industrial operations and future expansion, including access to robust utilities, proximity to regional steam cracking capacity, integration within an established circular plastics value chain, availability of feedstock, and alignment with European regulatory and permitting frameworks.

“Selecting Chemelot marks a pivotal point in the scale-up pathway we outlined last year,” said Ofer Vicus, CEO of Aduro. “From the outset, our objective has been to transition from pilot-scale validation to an industrial facility capable of operating under real-world conditions, producing commercially relevant outputs, and supporting future growth. Chemelot provides the infrastructure, industrial integration, and expansion capability required not just for our a First-of-a-Kind facility but rather as a foundation towards a full commercial deployment of increased processing capacity.”

In other news, US-based ExxonMobil’s third advanced recycling unit at Baytown, Texas, is now operational, increasing capacity to process up to 250 million pounds of plastic waste annually.
The company adds it is on track to reach approximately 450 million pounds of annual advanced recycling capacity at its global facilities by year-end 2026.

Advanced recycling is an effective and necessary technology to recycle more plastics, and ExxonMobil is leading the way, it says.

Looking ahead, the company says it has the technology and the expertise to expand advanced recycling but adds that what’s essential now is supportive policy frameworks — clear, consistent laws and regulations that recognise advanced recycling as a proven solution for hard-to-recycle plastics.

“We’re seeking the opportunity to keep doing what works, not asking for subsidies. That’s why we’re in support of federal legislation that would officially recognise advanced recycling as recycling, establish clear standards for recycled content claims, and ensure alignment across federal agencies, providing clarity for both industry and consumers. And it’s supported by local and federal leaders, including the City of Baytown and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin,” the company says.

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