Borealis designs “first of its kind” mechanical recycling for polyolefins with EverMinds initiative

21 Oct 2022 --- Borealis is designing a “first-of-its-kind” mechanical recycling plant in Schwechat, Austria. The plant is an extension of Borealis’ EverMinds initiative, striving to create a circular plastic recycling system.

The commercial-scale plant is designed for mechanical recycled polyolefin (rPO) with the capacity to produce over 60 metric kilotons of circular solutions and compounds per year. The plant will be operational in 2025.

The plant’s design is based on Borealis’ BorcycleM, an advanced mechanical recycling technology that transforms polyolefin-based post-consumer waste into high-performance polymers to be reused in plastic packaging.

“The future plant shall complement Borealis’ existing recycling assets with its advanced mechanical recycling technology platform BorcycleM,” Lucrèce Foufopoulos-DeRidder, Borealis’ executive vice president of polyolefins, circular economy solutions and innovation & technology tells PackagingInsights.

“It combines state-of-the-art recycling equipment which gives us solutions with low odor, high purity, improved product consistency and color fractions.”

Borealis looks to recycle polyolefins by creating a new mechanical recycling plant in Austria. Plastic circularity
Borealis decided to expand its manufacturing capabilities based on positive feedback from its previous recycling demonstration plant in Lahnstein, Germany. From that site, the company says it discovered a place in the market for recycled polyolefins using the same technology used in the upcoming plant.

“The advanced mechanical recycled solutions and compounds which this plant shall deliver in the future will result in an increase of rPOs for demanding applications in various industries including consumer packaging,” says Foufopoulos-DeRidder.

The company says its mechanical recycling “for customers and end-consumers will mean an increase in the availability of high-quality recycled plastic products.”

Borealis states it is on a path to net zero emissions and that the new plant will help it achieve that goal. It has a target supply capacity of 600 metric kilotons of circular products and solutions globally by 2025, further increasing to 1.8 million metric tons by 2030.

“Plastic waste should be recycled in a cascading and sequential way. In principle, mechanical recycling is an eco-efficient way of recycling and results in a reduction in the CO2 footprint,” Foufopoulos-DeRidder continues. Borealis creates new mechanical recycling solutions to move the industry toward a more circular plastic lifecycle.

Nextchem, specialists in chemistry and technologies for the energy transition, will carry out the front-end engineering design stage for the plant.

After the plants’ completion, Borealis expects to make a final investment decision in the second half of 2023 and start construction by the end of 2023. The first volumes of recycled polyolefin products are expected in 2025.

“For now, Borealis has awarded a front-end engineering design stage for the plant, which will be carried out by Nextchem, specialists in the field of green chemistry and technologies for the energy transition.”

Past achievements
Earlier this month, Borealis and the Vibac Group announced the development of a new and more environmentally sustainable BOPP-based film for food applications. The film aims to extend shelf life, facilitate recycling and lower carbon emissions. Borealis also partnered with Paccor and Froneri Finland for “the first” PP ice cream packaging manufactured with certified renewable feedstock.

In 2021, Borealis secured an exclusive supply of Renasci Oostende Recycling’s chemically recycled material from its high-tech recycling center in Belgium. The material is used to manufacture EverMinds Borcycle C circular polyolefins and circular base chemicals at multiple Borealis locations.

“Borealis is committed to rapidly increasing the share of recycled content across a wide range of high-performance polyolefins. Proof-in-point of the EverMinds mindset – this step demonstrates how innovative technology continues to advance circularity,” concludes Foufopoulos-DeRidder.

By Sabine Waldeck

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