MOSCOW (MRC) -- INEOS Styrolution, the styrenics subsidiary of Ineos, has signed a joint development agreement with Recycling Technologies (Swindon, UK), a specialist plastic recycling technology provider, to advance the development of polystyrene (PS) recycling in Europe, according to Chemweek.
The agreement recognizes the commercial value of post-consumer plastic waste to prevent it being incinerated or ending up in landfill, the companies say.
Recycling Technologies has completed a detailed research and trial process with Styrolution. This included scientific research and processing of PS on Recycling Technologies’ Mark II test reactor, which has produced “excellent results,” the companies say. They will now further advance this depolymerization process based on Recycling Technologies’ fluidized-bed technology, currently used for mixed plastics, to adapt it for the commercial recycling of PS.
“Recycling Technologies’ fluidized-bed technology is a very promising technology to drive our joint agenda forward,” says Sven Riechers, vice president/business management, standard products, EMEA at Styrolution
“To date we have focused on the recycling of mixed plastic waste, this initiative will allow us to develop and expand our feedstock recycling technology solutions to address a new and important market, recycling polystyrene,” says Adrian Griffiths, CEO and founder of Recycling Technologies.
As MRC reported earlier, in January 2020, INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, announced plans to build a world-scale acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plant in Ningbo, China. The new production site will be adjacent to the recently acquired polystyrene plant in Ningbo. Thus, company plans to construct a green field ABS plant adjacent to the Ningbo PS site in the Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Its annual capacity is planned to be at 600,000 tonnes. Construction is planned to start in 2020, completion is expected in 2023.
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated consumption of PS and styrene plastics was 225,870 tonnes in the first half of 2020, down by 8% year on year. PS consumption increased by 2% year on year in June 2020, totalling 39,590 tonnes.
INEOS Styrolution is the leading, global styrenics supplier with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 85 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering the best possible solution, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including Automotive, Electronics, Household, Construction, Healthcare, Packaging and Toys/ Sports/ Leisure. In 2018, sales were at 5.4 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,500 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.
MRC