Recycling: ExxonMobil opens 2nd advanced recycling unit in Texas; Sulzer launches polystyrene recycling tech

US materials firm ExxonMobil says its second advanced recycling unit is now operational in Baytown, Texas. The new unit doubles its advanced recycling capacity, and operating since late 2022 it has processed more than 100 million pounds of plastic waste in Baytown as of May 2025. Additional advanced recycling investments are under consideration for North America, Europe, and Asia.

It adds that it has invested in recycling since it is a “good investment for customers, shareholders, and the communities where it operates”. It adds, “By embedding these units within our pre-existing facilities, we can scale up faster and at a much lower cost than most of industry, and we can help increase recycling rates in nearby cities and towns.”

Advanced recycling serves as a complement to traditional mechanical recycling by converting plastic waste into raw materials suitable for manufacturing various valuable products, including fuels, lubricants, high-performance chemicals, and plastics.

The company emphasises that advanced recycling can process a wider range of plastic waste that isn't suitable for mechanical recycling and would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators.

Through its existing facilities, it adds it can convert nearly 90% of used plastic into useful raw materials. This helps keep plastic out of landfills and incinerators and can helps customers meet their goals around plastic waste.

To increase recycling rates, one of the big challenges around the world is collecting and sorting plastic waste. That’s why the firm is working with communities, customers, and other companies to collect plastic waste for our recycling units.

It helped form the joint venture Cyclyx International LLC to help collect and sort a wide variety of plastic waste, and helped found the Houston Recycling Collaboration to expand the collection of residential plastic waste.

Looking ahead, ExxonMobil plans to invest more than US$200 million to further expand its advanced recycling operations at its sites in Baytown and Beaumont, Texas. These new operations are expected to begin in 2026 and aim to increase advanced recycling rates while diverting more plastic from landfills.

The investment will add 350 million pounds/year of advanced recycling capacity at Baytown and Beaumont, bringing ExxonMobil's total capacity to 500 million pounds/year.

The company intends to construct additional units to achieve a global recycling capacity of 1 billion pounds/year by 2027.

ExxonMobil's advanced recycling technology, known as Exxtend, is currently serving customers in more than 15 countries across multiple sectors, including food-safe packaging and pet food, with demand continuing to increase, according to the company.

In other news, Swiss firm Sulzer Ltd has announced the launch of its licensed EcoStyrene polystyrene (PS) recycling technology, which it says is a groundbreaking solution for the chemical recycling of PS contaminated s materials.

The EcoStyrene process addresses one of the chemical recycling industry’s most significant challenges: effectively processing waste PS materials that contain multiple types of contaminants. Unlike conventional recycling methods that require pristine feedstock, Sulzer says its technology efficiently processes PS waste containing flame retardant components and food residue, transforming these previously unrecyclable materials into valuable resources that can be reintroduced into the production cycle, including food contact applications.

“We’re excited to bring this transformative technology to market,” said Ilja Mikenberg, Global Head of Process Solutions at Sulzer Chemtech. “The chemical recycling sector has been seeking sustainable solutions for contaminated plastic waste management, and our EcoStyrene technology provides a practical, economically viable answer even for the most challenging feedstock.”

The technology has been developed in partnership with a leading technology and solution provider with commercial experience providing fluid-bed reactor technology. Combining Sulzer’s process and equipment expertise in the field of polymer recycling with a proven reactor technology spearheaded the development. The strategic collaboration has accelerated the development process, making the technology commercially available today. With this technology, Sulzer is building upon its commitment to the circular economy, following the formation of a new JV with Sika dedicated to recycling construction materials.

Sulzer Chemtech and its partner are building a PS alliance across the value chain, from waste manager to brand owner, to valorise PS waste. Chemical recycling operators can now implement this solution to expand their acceptable feedstock range, reduce environmental impact, meet sustainability targets, and generate additional value from materials previously considered too contaminated for conventional recycling methods.

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