Renewi and Freepoint Eco-Systems advance pyrolysis for plastic waste sorting and recycling
31 Jul 2024 --- Renewi and Freepoint Eco-Systems International (Freepoint Eco-Systems) are teaming up to produce feedstock for the advanced recycling of waste plastics. The collaboration aims to divert end-of-life plastics from incineration by developing the sorting and treatment infrastructure.
The goal is to supply 80,000 metric tons of feedstock for Freepoint Eco-Systems’ first European advanced recycling facility to be located at the Kluizendok site in Ghent, Belgium.
The companies respond to the growing demand for sustainable solutions for end-of-life plastics and the use of pyrolysis oil to create recycled products.
“This collaboration fits perfectly with our strategy as a waste-to-product company and represents a significant milestone in our commitment to a circular economy and sustainable solutions,” says Mark Thys, chief operating officer of Commercial Waste at Renewi.
“By combining our expertise in the waste and chemical sectors, we aim to address the growing need for innovative processes in the treatment of end-of-life plastics.”
“This project is a clear example that only through cross-industrial collaboration can the plastic waste crisis be tackled. The waste streams which now end up in incineration, combined with the expertise of Renewi and the new sorting line, will increase the total plastic recycling rates and will be fully complementary to mechanical recycling.”
Bridging the gap?
Pyrolysis in advanced recycling is a thermal decomposition process in which existing plastic materials are heated without oxygen to break them down into smaller molecules for raw material use.
Freepoint Eco-Systems’ advanced recycling facility will make it possible to recycle complex, mixed plastics that are difficult to process in any other way, making this facility complementary to mechanical recycling.
Renewi and Freepoint Eco-Systems deem their partnership a significant step in the waste treatment chain and a “major development in Europe’s circular economy.”
The partnership aligns with the ecological commitments in the EU’s Green Deal and other emerging obligations for recycled content in new products, according to the collaboration.
New sorting line
Freepoint Eco-Systems and Renewi are exploring the development and co-investment of a new sorting facility essential for producing the feedstock needed for the advanced recycling plant.
Renewi will leverage its expertise with its residual waste sorting line, which has been operational for over a year and can produce high-quality feedstock for advanced recycling.
The new sorting line will use various innovative sorting techniques, including utilizing residual heat from the advanced recycling plant.
This process will transform different end-of-life plastic sources into a consistent and high-quality feedstock, reintegrating them into the circular economy.
