Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy II: A Perspective on Chemical Recycling Technologies and the Impact on Catalysis
STUDY COMPLETED!
TCGR Documents Current State of the Art in Chemical Recycling of Polyolefins and
Identifies Commercial Development Opportunities to Address Unmet Needs…
View Presentation and Order Form Here (PDF)
Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy II:
A Perspective on Chemical Recycling Technologies and the Impact on Catalysis
The challenge faced by plastics is not in how they are used, but in the end-of-life management of products made from plastic. In our June 2020 study, Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy: Catalytic and Compatibilization Solutions, TCGR assessed both emerging and commercial technologies for the chemical recycling, upcycling, and compatibilization of plastics waste. While depolymerization technologies for PET and PS are rapidly becoming the norm, the inertness of polyolefins presents challenges in chemical recycling. Choice of recycling technology is not yet well defined, leading to a proliferation of ideas from purification technologies to recover virgin polymers to partial or full depolymerization, often with the aid of catalysts.
Based on initial feedback from the industry, this new study is designed to identify and assess new recycling technologies and determine the impact that they will have on the catalyst industry. It addresses current state of the art in technology and commercial development. The study also provides a techno-economic and life-cycle analyses of the most promising recycling technologies in the late stages of development or early stages of commercialization. In this study, TCGR has:
- Defined the current status of leading technologies
- Estimated the required CAPEX and OPEX of those technologies at scale
- Quantified the impact of chemical recycling on the markets for catalysts and adsorbents
- Provided strategic direction for market players in the plastic recycling value chain
A good depiction of the circular plastic packaging value chain, with both open-loop and closed-loop options, appears in Figure 1:
Figure 1. Polyolefin packaging value chain in the case of closed-loop and open-loop recycling.
Source: Larrain et al., 2020
In this assessment, special consideration has been given to approaches with high technology readiness levels (TRLs) for chemical recycling of polyolefins. TCGR has also expanded on how these technologies will impact future demands on catalysts and absorbent technologies. Through a comprehensive assessment of leading technologies, TCGR has defined the potential of chemical recycling for polyolefins. Through TCGR’s techno-economic analyses of chemical recycling processes as well as through life-cycle analyses, the suitability of various approaches towards recycling plastics has been gauged for meeting the requirements for a circular plastics economy.
TCGR’s assessment is a “must have,” industrially sourced analysis for addressing the current industry needs from olefin and resin producers, process licensors and catalyst and adsorbent suppliers from a practical perspective. This study, “for the industry, by the industry,” was completed in October 2022.
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As it does in each of its industrially-focused multi-client studies, TCGR obtained input from “charter” subscribers (i.e., those who signed up prior to study launch)
to help shape the report’s final scope/TofC so that it covers and emphasizes the most pertinent content due to the rapid progress in plastics recycling that is
of interest, as depicted in Sections III-V in the revised/expanded TofC.
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Notice to Subscribers:
Due to the complementary nature of this study to TCGR’s previous report in this area, namely Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy: Catalytic and Compatibilization Solutions completed in June 2020, TCGR is offering a discount of $1,000 off Plastics Recycling and the Circular Economy II: A Perspective on Chemical Recycling Technologies and the Impact on Catalysis to subscribers of that study. Subscribers are requested to contact Steve Deutsch at +1 215.628.4447 or sdeutsch@catalystgrp.com if further details are required or to determine if your organization is entitled. When completing the order form, please make sure to indicate your company’s subscription to the earlier report.
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Additional information, including the completed study presentation, the actual Table of Contents and the Order Form,
is available via the link below or by contacting Steve Deutsch at +1.215.628.4447 or sdeutsch@catalystgrp.com.
The Catalyst Group Resources (TCGR), a member of The Catalyst Group, is dedicated to monitoring and analyzing technical and commercial developments in catalysis as they apply to the global refining, petrochemical, fine/specialty chemical, pharmaceutical, polymer/elastomer and environmental industries.