CHEMICAL RECYCLING | INNOVATION


several years ago and is now marketing them under the brand Purocel. Chlorine atoms are separated from larger molecules in a catalytic reaction, and the resulting hydrogen chloride is bound. This technology removes up to three times more chorides from pyrolysis oil than conventional solutions, according to the company. Hydrogen reacts with remaining impurities, converting them into volatile compounds. Evonik not only offers chemical solutions, but also pre-configured column models containing adsorbents, which can be connected to both pyrolysis plants and steam crackers, enabling efficient purification without significant investments and prolonged downtimes. In the same context of modularization and simplification, Technip Energies, Alterra and Neste announced the commercial launch of Nerea, a new type of industrial offering designed to accelerate the deployment of chemical recycling projects for plastic waste. By transitioning from bespoke engineering to a standardized product model, Nerea enables waste operators, project developers, refining and petrochemical players to scale circular plastic production with enhanced predictability. The project, which started in November 2024


through a collaboration agreement, brings Alterra’s thermochemical liquefaction technology together with Neste’s chemical recycling expertise and Technip Energies’ engineering, project delivery and modularization capabilities. A standardized, modular design minimizes pre-investment and reduces project complexity, while providing greater certainty in terms of cost and schedule. The Nerea plant is designed for rapid deployment.


New research In a project called Chemcycle, the Spanish research and development company Tecnalia is working with industry partners to treat plastic waste from


end-of-life vehicles, electric and electronic equip- ment, textiles, paper waste, rubber and urban and industrial plastics that currently end up in landfills or are recovered as energy. For these residues, pyrolysis takes place in fixed and fluidized bed reactors that reach up to 900°C. The study analyses the effect of temperature and residence time, in order to optimize the conversion into valuable products, such as char and oils. Parameters such as specific treatment area, ash, metal and halogen content are characterized. In Denmark, a new project called InFACT gathers 16 international companies, including Nestlé and Interzero, to turn household plastic waste into new packaging, including food packaging. The project covers the entire value chain: collection, sorting, recycling, packaging production and food compa- nies, and is led by the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), funded by the TRACE programme of the Innovation Fund Denmark. Modern flexible food packaging is technically advanced – typically built from multiple polymer layers, barrier films, printing inks, adhesives and, in some cases, metallised surfaces. This makes the material very hard to recycle through conventional mechanical remelting. InFACT combines several complementary recycling technologies to crack that challenge. In addition, key barriers have been a fragmented value chain and the lack of viable business models. InFACT is designed to address this by connecting technologies, documentation and market demand across the full packaging chain. “We have brought together partners covering


the entire chain from household waste bins to supermarket shelves. That is essential if we are to build a circular infrastructure that works technologi- cally, environmentally and economically,” said Per Sigaard Christensen, Business Manager at Danish Technological Institute. Integration comes in a pivotal moment, as the


www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com


Above: Nerea gathers the competence of Technip Energies, Alterra and Neste to reduce the complexity and cost of launching chemical recycling facilities


Left: The InFACT project combines several


complementary recycling


technologies to handle mixed food packaging waste


July/August 2026 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 19


IMAGE: DTI


IMAGE: TECHNIP ENERGIES


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