Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), the joint industry initiative to increase the circularity for styrenic polymers, and Pyrowave, a pioneer technology developer in the plastic-to-plastic chemical recycling, announced a new collaboration including an indepth evaluation of Pyrowave’s proprietary depolymerisation technology. To formalise this collaboration, SCS members INEOS Styrolution, Total, Trinseo and Versalis (Eni), global leaders in the manufacturing of polystyrene and other styrenic materials, are signing an NDA with Pyrowave, a necessary and usual step in such project.
Dr. Norbert Niessner, Director Global R&D/IP, INEOS Styrolution, and Chair of the SCS Technology Working Group said: “We see great potential to use Pyrowave’s patented chemical recycling technology, catalytic microwave depolymerisation. The small, flexible microwave units enable a decentralised approach as they can be installed next to existing local sorting facilities, where the waste feedstock can be found. We now will scrutinise the specifics of this proprietary technology to adequately proliferate this process in Europe.”
Jocelyn Doucet, CEO of Pyrowave, commented: “We developed the Pyrowave technology during the last 10 years specifically to exploit the unique feature of polystyrene being easily reversible into its building blocks and as such, our technology is tailored to polystyrene. This next step with SCS in Europe is central to further position our technology in Europe which is taking a strong leadership on the circularity of plastics. We believe that our technology will play a key role helping Europe achieving its sustainability goals while generating a new opportunity for economic growth”, said Jocelyn Doucet, CEO of Pyrowave.”
Jens Kathmann, Secretary General, SCS concluded: “We see the decentralised approach of Pyrowave’s proprietary depolymerisation technology as highly complementary to the other recycling technologies that we are scaling up in Europe.
As such, it fits perfectly into our strategy to actively drive a broader portfolio of technologies ranging from dissolution, to mechanical and chemical recycling suited for food contact. This project is part of our ambition to accelerate the time-to-market and volume of recycled polystyrene in line with the SCS 2020-2025 roadmap.
Polystyrene is a polymer with unique circularity potential, as it is most easily reversed into its original monomer at high yield with game-changing recycling technologies. The liquid state of its monomer enables easy purification. The recycled monomer is identical to the virgin monomer. It can thus be processed into styrenic polymers used in multiple applications such as packaging, electronics and medical devices with identical, virgin quality enabling all applications, including food contact. Also, it allows for continuous recycling loops, over and over again.
Source: Ineos Styrolution press release
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