Ineos launches recycled plastic production at French cracker to meet EU PPWR targets

Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe has begun sourcing pyrolysis oil from recycled plastic waste to produce virgin-quality polymers at its Lavera, France, facility.

By starting recycling operations in France, Ineos aims to support its customers to meet the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requirements for food contact, medical, and sensitive plastic packaging to contain at least 10% recycled content by 2030.

“By converting our cracker in Lavera and securing access to pyrolysis oil, we are building the capability needed to produce virgin-quality polymers from recycled feedstocks. These materials will help our customers meet the EU’s stringent regulatory targets and sustainability goals,” says Rob Ingram, CEO at Ineos.

The new plastic grades can help meet EU regulatory requirements for applications such as caps and closures, milk bottles, and water pipes, according to the company.

The EU PPWR has set out targets for recycling packaging waste for 2030 and 2040, and Ineos says that advanced recycling technologies can play “a critical role” in meeting the growing demand for the “safe use” of recycled materials needed to achieve minimum levels of recycled content in plastic packaging. 

Benefits of advanced recycling

Ineos argues that advanced recycling can enable the production of end products that can be recycled continuously and ensures plastic does not end up in landfills or incineration, and reduces the use of fossil-based raw materials.

“At Ineos, we recognize that delivering a circular economy requires both ambition and action. While mechanical recycling remains essential, advanced recycling plays a critical role in expanding the potential for plastics recycling and closing the loop — particularly for high-performance applications,” Ingram says. 

“We are committed to accelerating circularity by working with partners and leveraging our full portfolio of circular solutions, including our Recycl-IN hybrid polymers and our pilot line for fully recyclable MDO [machine direction oriented] films. This is Ineos driving innovation with purpose.”

Part of the Lavera cracker was adapted to enable the production of materials using renewable naphtha derived from sources such as biomass, organic waste, or recycled materials alongside traditional feedstocks.

Renewable feedstock

Ineos states that the products’ renewability has been independently certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification scheme. The system verifies that all renewable feedstocks are tracked through the production process using mass balance principles and that all renewable and recycled claims are accurate.

The Lavera cracker is one of the largest petrochemicals sites in Europe and it has been wholly owned by Ineos since April 2024.

Last year, Ineos became the world’s first polymer producer to commission a pilot line to co-develop recyclable flexible packaging films alongside its customers. ClientEarth, in collaboration with 14 NGOs, renewed its legal challenge for the fourth time against Ineos’s plans to construct Europe’s largest plastics project at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium.