INNOVATION | CHEMICAL RECYCLING
Right: Feeding polystyrene packaging waste prior to depolymerisa- tion
a styrene monomer that will be purified using Toyo Styrene’s proprietary purification process, ready for reuse in production of more PS. Last year,AmSty, the largest polystyrene
producer in the Americas (a JV between Chevron Phillips and Trinseo), and Agilyx agreed to explore the development of a jointly owned chemical recycling facility. They plan initially to build a 50-100 tonnes/day plant at AmSty’s Styrene production facility in St. James, Louisiana. The two companies already have a chemical recycling JV, Regenyx, at Agilyx’s location in Tigard, Oregon, founded in early 2019. Canada-based Pyrowave has developed modular equipment that uses microwave technol- ogy to depolymerise PS. Pyrowave is involved in a major PS chemical recycling project in a partner- ship with tyre maker Michelin in Europe. Michelin will operate the equipment at a location yet to be decided. It will acquire several units from Pyrowave. Michelin will use the styrene monomer to make styrene-butadiene rubber for tyres, also using bio-butadiene. The two companies have been working together
to fast-track the industrialisation of Pyrowave technology with a view to a certification and
commercial roll-out in international markets. The joint development agreement will ultimately account for an investment of more than €20m. Michelin and Pyrowave are working together to develop an industrial demonstrator, funded and operated by Michelin, by 2023. Michelin is the first licensee for the Pyrowave technology. Jocelyn Doucet, co-founder and CEO of Py-
Below: Agilyx’s chemical recycling technology at its Regenyx JV with AmSty
rowave, led the team that developed Catalytic Microwave Depolymerisation. The company works in tandem with major players in the polymer industry, including Total, Ineos Styrolution and AmSty. Tyre maker Michelin took a stake in Pyrowave in 2020, with part of the investment earmarked for a
demonstration plant at one of Michelin’s facilities. The site has yet to be chosen, with a final invest- ment decision due soon on what will be a 20,000 tpa plant.
Michelin will be sourcing pre-sorted material, which Doucet says will be 90-95% pure PS, having been through sorting and minimal washing and drying. It has already formed partnerships with two recycling facilities, and Doucet says 20,000 tonnes are accessible. He emphasises the need for chemical recycling plants to work with standard- ised input in the same way that conventional chemical plants do. “The number one challenge we have is sourcing the feedstock,” says Doucet. “You can’t pipeline plastic waste. For scaling up the business of chemical recycling, regardless of the technology, there is a need for massive investment in the whole infrastructure. When we select geographies for possible operations, this is the number one thing we look at.” While Pyrowave’s main focus at the moment is on the Michelin project, it is also in final negotia- tions on a project in Japan, where Doucet says there is a particularly strong focus on the circular economy, not least because it has few of its own natural resources and high energy costs. “It probably has the most advanced recycling infra- structure in the world,” he says. He hopes to be able to make an announcement before September. Other discussions elsewhere in the world for implementation of Pyrowave technology are “ongo- ing”, especially in Europe. Doucet says that to a certain extent, developments depend on deploy- ment of legislation. “Elements from a compliance perspective will force companies to move,” he says. “These projects can make money, but the capital investment is substantial, so [there needs to be a strong impulse] to change the business model.” Pyrowave intends to publish a peer-reviewed
18 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | July/August 2022
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: AGILYX
IMAGE: AGILYX
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