11 years of technology development

Since our founding in 2013, Eurex Energy has been dedicated to its mission of using technology for good. With seven generations of technologies released and the first commercial closed loop plastic to plastic facility, Eurex Energy has established itself as a leader in the advanced recycling of plastic.

What is the future of plastic recycling?

Our Eurex ECO 1 unit as technology is at the heart of chemical recycling because you must first understand its properties. Only then will it be possible to transform it into something that has value. The most obvious use for recycled plastics is as new plastic, though actually, this makes up a very small part of recycled material.

Chemical recycling takes waste as a raw material to create new plastics. It makes it more or less the same as virgin material, but at a lower cost.

What is the new technology in plastics?

Chemical recycling is not new. It has been practiced for decades, but it is now transforming the plastics industry with the latest technology. There are two types of chemical recycling. The first one is when companies, municipalities and individuals send their waste plastic to us for recycling. This approach is similar to how we have done our chemical reprocessing business in the past, and it is called “back-of-the-house” process. We have been using this approach for many years and it ensures expert handling of your waste plastic, as well as advanced technologies and most competitive environmental and financial benefits.

More about plastic waste in Europe and World wide

In recent years, the challenge of plastic waste generation has become a prime concern in the global political arena. At the EU level, a dedicated strategy on plastics was adopted that led to the Single-Use Plastics Directive. In spite of this, plastic waste management data show that achieving a circular economy for plastics in the EU is a long way off. Available studies indicate that plastic waste generation may remain at high levels in the future or even increase in the absence of ambitious circularity policies. The report looks at the challenges associated with plastic waste generation and discusses the potential of using chemical recycling technologies as part of an ecosystem of solutions for increasing the circularity of plastics. It is based on evidence collected through desk-research and inputs provided during a series of stakeholder meetings.

Given the myriad applications of plastics, a mix of recycling solutions, combined with efforts aimed at increasing reuse and waste prevention will be needed. This requires a policy environment that while enabling all recycling options would at the same time provide a level playing field between mechanical and chemical recycling. To achieve such a level playing field, clarification would be needed on how chemical recycling technologies could contribute to achieving recycled content targets. As these technologies scale up, the question about whether there is a need to provide clarity about their position in the waste hierarchy and in the existing recycling definition will also need to be addressed.

There are several data uncertainties about plastic waste feedstocks and composition as well as the emissions and losses in the chemical recycling processes. The publication of methodology guidelines for LCAs comparing different treatment options for waste plastics can support a more informed debate about plastics’ circularity. More integrated assessments considering the full spectrum of plastic waste streams and how they can be treated in the most environmentally friendly way can also contribute to this debate.