Unilever seeks SPEX solutions for hard-to-recycle plastic with Dutch scale-up partner

Unilever has expanded its partnership with the Netherlands-based scale-up Obbotec to use its Selective Plastic EXtraction (SPEX) recycling technology to accelerate the circular economy transition. The technology is based on the dissolution and purification of plastics with a special solvent. 

SPEX allows Obbotec to develop “near-virgin” quality plastic by dissolving a rich plastic waste stream with PE and PP. It has a short recycling route, a high efficiency of more than 95% and a low CO2 footprint. 

The focus of the expanded collaboration between Unilever and Obbotec is to facilitate the development and improvement of the SPEX technology. It aims to further the processing of complex plastic packaging through the tech, as well as the use of high-quality recycled material in new packaging. 

The two companies previously worked together to test and improve packaging recyclability as part of Unilever’s 2024 commitment to make 100% of its plastic packaging recyclable. Unilever supplied the packaging needed for the pilot, legal and quality know-how, among other knowledge. This allowed Obbotec to test and improve its SPEX. 

Further tests will be carried out on packaging from recycled materials in the coming period to validate its quality, including as part of the ongoing FlexForward research project, which includes the Dutch University of Wageningen, PepsiCo, Mars, Unilever and Obbotec, among other companies and brands.

Currently, recycled material produced through SPEX can be used to make cleaning and care product packaging. However, due to the Netherlands’ current regulation, such material cannot yet be used for food packaging. 

The SPEX tech

Obbotec’s SPEX technology offers several unique properties, including close-to-perfect efficiency. In the process, plastic molecules are not broken down but dissolved under high pressure and temperature, making it a short cycle with a high yield. 

Additionally, because polymers are dissolved to the molecular level, the plastic material produced through SPEX recycling should be the same quality as new plastic. The process also has a low environmental impact. 

Several recent studies and tests investigating SPEX have been successful and have produced dimensionally stable plastic packaging in different colors. 

While the initial SPEX tests were carried out using approximately 150 gr of plastic, the latest tests were completed using batches of up to 150 kg of plastic waste. This progress is vital to this technology’s commercial scaling and international rollout.