CHEMICAL RECYCLING | INNOVATION
Distillation column at Pyrowave plant
uniquely circular, but it also comes with a signifi- cantly reduced carbon footprint for all three recycling routes we have been focusing on.” In July, styrenic thermoplastics producer Elix
Polymers said it had completed a LCA of its more sustainable E-Loop materials. These are ABS and other materials that it has grouped together under the E-Loop brand name to denote commitment to the Circular Economy and which include polymers produced from chemically and mechanically recycled waste. The company has completed an LCA of its
production based on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 (Cradle-to-Gate analysis), taking into account transportation to customers and including direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2 and Scope 3). The full LCA was validated by the Anthesis group. “The LCA shows that mechanically and chemically recycled products can considerably reduce the environmental impact of the final product and can support Elix customers in achiev- ing their sustainability goals,” said Elix. Elix also formed a partnership in 2020 with
LCA of its technology in the autumn. Doucet says: “The majority of impacts on the environment come from by-product management. Do you burn the by-products for energy recovery? Can you reintro- duce them into other processes?” Working with Michelin, Pyrowave is looking at how by-products in its process can be used, possibly also in tyre production. The second biggest impact relates to the sorting
process. With PS chemical recycling, there are two levels of sorting: MRF and then PRF. Doucet says: “Both of these steps yield waste. So we are looking at how to cut the waste streams at both levels.” Investment is needed in sorting technology, but rethinking in packaging design is also required – “design for recycling.” Also last year, Styrenics Circular Solutions
(SCS), the value chain initiative to increase the circularity of styrenic polymers, unveiled the results of a comprehensive LCA for PS. “It shows excellent results for the three recycling processes – purity mechanical recycling, dissolution and depolymeri- sation – compared to the end-of-life option incinera- tion and the production of virgin polystyrene,” says SCS. The LCA focused on closed loop recycling routes back to food contact quality products. Dissolution and depolymerisation technologies both exhibit CO2
emission savings of around 75%. Jens Kathmann, Secretary-General of SCS, says:
“We now have unambiguous, clear data that polystyrene is not only excellently sortable and
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com July/August 2022 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 21
Repsol, which has ISCC PLUS certification for all its production centres of polyolefin and other circular petrochemical products, including recycled styrene. The agreement includes the possibility of developing joint projects within the scope of the circular economy for applications in areas such as toys, small household appliances, external and internal automotive parts, and medical devices. Styrenic plastics major Ineos Styrolution, together with partners including Recycling Technologies, is currently exploring scaling-up of PS chemical recycling technology and bringing it to commercial level, says a spokesman. Ineos Styrolu- tion plans to build its full commercial scale recycling facility in Wingles, France, but has not given a date. Recycling Technologies was selected by Ineos Styrolution as the technology provider for commer-
Below: Pyrowave depolymerisa- tion plant for PS is modular
IMAGE: PYROWAVE
IMAGE: PYROWAVE
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