HOUSTON (ICIS)–There is no doubt that the circular economy has become one of the biggest priorities in the plastics value chain but market participants continue to question how recycling can grow to become more generally acceptable and how they will be able to access enough feedstock to ensure viability.
Turning more towards chemical recycling is a possible solution for plastics producers as it has the biggest potential to tackle a variety of waste that so far has not been suitable for mechanical recycling. But it was clear from the 2nd ICIS Recycled Polymers Conference North America, held in Chicago on 8-9 November, that the sector also needs a distinct improvement in the collection and sortation of plastic waste.
The conference brought together players from along the supply chain, from Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to brand-owners and was not just about discussing industry challenges but about finding solutions and driving change.
Technologies seen at this conference, such as those from Pyrowave, a patented filtration process that removes contaminants to improve recycling yields and quality, and Protein Evolution which seeks to breakdown plastic through the use of carefully engineered enzymes, are examples of the innovations that have the potential to further widen the spectrum of what can be recycled.
Published by: www.icis.com
Andrea Bassetti
23-Nov-2023
