Ineos Styrolution, Recycling Technologies Sign Joint Agreement to Advance Polystyrene Recycling

Global styrenics supplier Ineos Styrolution and Recycling Technologies, a specialist in plastic recycling technology, have signed a joint agreement to advance the development of polystyrene recycling in Europe. Both companies share the same goal of making plastics a sustainable material, said Frankfurt, Germany–based Ineos. The agreement recognizes the commercial value of post-consumer plastic waste and seeks to prevent this important resource from being incinerated or ending up in landfills.

Recycling Technologies, based in Swindon, UK, claims extensive knowledge, technology, and expertise in building reactors suitable for thermally recycling mixed plastics by means of pyrolysis. The company has already completed a detailed research and trial process with Ineos, including the successful processing of polystyrene on its Mark II test reactor, said the joint press release. Both companies will now further advance this depolymerization solution based on Recycling Technologies’ fluidized bed technology and adapt it for the commercial recycling of polystyrene.

“This partnership creates the basis for a more circular economy in polystyrene, allowing users to achieve challenging recycling targets set by all their stakeholders,” said Adrian Griffiths, CEO and founder of Recycling Technologies. “To date, we have focused on the recycling technology solutions to address a new and important market — recycling polystyrene.”

Ineos Styrolution and Recycling Technologies believe depolymerization has the potential to close the loop, creating a circular economy for polystyrene and making the material a more valuable polymer. Recycled polystyrene has the potential to meet the demanding specifications of food-packaging regulations, making it attractive to the food industry, said the companies.