PP recycler PureCycle sees Ohio plant as springboard for growth

MOSCOW (MRC) -- PureCycle Technologies Inc.'s years-long effort to commercialize solvent-based recycling technology for polypropylene is virtually complete, said Sustainableplastics.

And the company's CEO believes that lessons learned from the company's flagship Ironton facility will serve the company well as the firm looks to replicate locations elsewhere — both in the United States and internationally.

PureCycle's journey, from an idea patented by consumer products company Procter & Gamble Co. to a full-fledged production site in Ironton, has had its share of ups and downs. That's for sure.

CEO Dustin Olson readily admitted the realities of the last few years during an on-site interview. But he also believes production in Ironton will wipe away any long-standing questions about the viability of the company and serve as a springboard.

PureCycle uses a solvent-based technology to purify polypropylene, stripping away the fillers and additives and odors along the way to create a virgin-like resin branded Ultra-Pure Recycled, or UPR, plastic by the company.

To follow PureCycle is to understand the company has missed a series of promises to begin production over time. And Olson said that's on him.

"This has been a struggle. I'm not going to lie. I have underestimated the timing for this plant. Some of that ... I should have seen, some of it was out of the blue," Olson said.

"I always give the information to the best of my ability every time. Sometimes I'm right. Sometimes I'm wrong. On this project I would say I leaned on the overoptimistic, but then things happened that prevented us from achieving that," he said.

"There's no doubt that the original dates were hyper aggressive. I think everybody recognizes that. And we've been chasing it," he said. "I think that missing dates is not good. I've got to do a better job." Delays included parts for an extruder being blown up in Ukraine due to Russia's invasion of that country as well as other more mundane supply chain issues. Olson also pointed to what he called minor engineering mistakes.

We remind, PureCycle Technologies Inc.'s flagship polypropylene recycling facility in Ironton, Ohio, is "days away" from beginning the start-up phase of commercial pellet production.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Corbion announced earlier today that ‘it will not pursue a new PLA bioplastics plant’ in Grandpuits, France, through its TotalEnergies Corbion PLA joint venture, following its review of the investment case, said Sustainableplastics.

In September 2020, TotalEnergies announced plans to invest more than €500 million to convert its Grandpuits refinery into a zero-crude platform. The project would comprise the development of facilities for biofuels, bioplastics and plastic waste recycling as part of TotalEnergies strategy to get to net-zero emissions by 2050.

As part of this project, Total Corbion PLA also announced in September 2020 plans to build a 100 000 tonnes-per-annum biobased polylactic acid (PLA) plant at Grandpuits - the first in Europe - after its first 75,000 metric tonne/year plant was successfully launched in 2018 in Thailand. NextChem, a subsidiary of Italy-based industrial group Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. had been awarded a contract by Total Corbion PLA to carry out a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) for the plant.

TotalEnergies issued a separate statement, also today, saying that it ‘noted the decision taken by its partner Corbion not to pursue the bioplastic production project, which will now be discontinued.’
However, the company added that ’in the light of the new investments announced today and others to come, TotalEnergies confirms the maintenance of 250 jobs at the site, in line with the commitments it made in September 2020’.

These investments included the doubling of the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and the development of low carbon energies at the Grandpuits site. The doubling of SAF production will bring the site’s annual production capacity to 285,000 tonnes.

The development of low carbon energies at the Grandpuits zero-crude platform, will include the construction of a biomethane production unit with an annual capacity of 80 gigawatthours (GWh), equivalent to the annual demand of 16,000 people. It will be supplied with organic waste from the biorefinery, and will prevent the emission of almost 20,000 tons of CO2 every year.

"These new projects further strengthen the site’s conversion, toward sustainability, decarbonisation and the circular economy," said Bernard Pinatel, President, Refining & Chemicals at TotalEnergies.

We remind, TotalEnergies Corbion, a technology specialist in polylactic acid (PLA) and lactide monomers, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese synthetic biology company Bluepha. Under this agreement, the two companies will work together to expedite the growth and adoption of PLA and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) based solutions in China’s market.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- PetroVietnam Gas said on Monday it will supply raw materials to a Vietnam-based petrochemicals complex of Thailand’s SCG Chemicals, said Reuters.

The Vietnamese gas firm will supply ethane, naphtha and propane to the Long Son Petrochemicals complex in the southern province of Ba Ria Vung Tau, it said in a statement.

The complex will start commercial production from July, it said.

We remind, Vietnam's Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical will delay the maintenance at its refinery until next year, and said it expects profits to drop 88% this year due to rising costs, including higher taxes. Binh Son said the maintenance delay would allow the company to "maximize its production, revenue and profit" this year. The 130,000-barrel-per-day refinery was originally scheduled to undergo major maintenance from June 22 to August 11 in 2023. The maintenance will now take place early next year, the company said in a statement.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- The venture units of oil firms Saudi Aramco and Italy's ENI have joined the world's largest passenger carrier United Airlines to invest in British start-up OXCCU's efforts to slash the prohibitively high cost of lower-carbon aviation fuel, said Reuters.

Aviation produces around 2% of the world's planet-warming emissions and the sector's own targets to emit no more than can be absorbed by natural sinks like forests or other technologies by 2050 pose a particularly daunting challenge.

The USD22.7-MM investment, led by U.S.-based investor Clean Energy Ventures, will go to Oxford University-affiliated scientists at OXCCU, one of several companies that have been searching for ways to replace kerosene and gasoline in plane engines.

OXCCU says it can make fuel by combining carbon dioxide captured from industry or power plants with hydrogen made using renewably sourced electricity. Its breakthrough is in using an iron-based catalyst to do this in one step, replacing the pricier two-stage process that is usually needed to bring about the chemical reaction.

Streamlining the process in this way knocks 50% off the capital cost and produces fewer byproducts, the companies said in a statement. "This cutting-edge solution could be a cost-effective pathway for United to reach our commitment of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, without relying on traditional carbon offsets," said United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen.

We remind, the Saudi Ministry of Investment (MISA) and Italian energy major Eni have signed an agreement aimed at promoting cooperation between Eni, Saudi institutions and companies mainly in the field of sustainable development around the country, and speciality conversion chemicals.

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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Solvay has completed its capacity expansion for its solvent extraction reagents manufacturing at its' US site, the Belgian producer announced on Wednesday.

The facility in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, produces solvents for mines producing copper through hydrometallurgical processes.

Demand for copper solvent extractants is expected to remain strong in e-mobility and clean energy applications, supported by new technologies capable of treating sulphide ores.

The increase was originally announced in December 2021.

Solvay’s solvent extraction reagents complement its broad product portfolio for the mining industry to help reduce operating rates as well as freshwater and energy use, and reagent consumption while meeting metallurgical requirements.

We remind, Solvay has opened a new application development lab (ADL) in Shanghai, China, to expand its global footprint of its research and innovation facilities. The new facility will develop solutions for applications industries including automotive, new energy, life solutions and pharmacy, smart devices and semiconductors for Solvay’s customers active in local and global end markets.

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