SCS members INEOS Styrolution, Total, Trinseo and Versalis evaluating Pyrowave depolymerisation technology

Petrotahlil - Members of the Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) initiative are carrying out an in-depth evaluation of Canada-based Pyrowave’s proprietary depolymerisation technology, SCS and Pyrowave announced on Wednesday.

“We see the decentralised approach of Pyrowave’s proprietary depolymerisation technology as highly complementary to the other recycling technologies that we are scaling up in Europe," said SCS Secretary General Jens Kathmann.

“This project is part of our ambition to accelerate the time-to-market and volume of recycled polystyrene in line with the SCS 2020-2025 roadmap."

As part of the SCS, INEOS Styrolution, Total, Trinseo and Versalis are working to create technologies ranging from dissolution, to mechanical and chemical recycling suited for food contact.

Pyrowave’s technology is targeted specifically at polystyrene (PS), with the small, flexible microwave units being installed next to existing sorting facilities, offering a much more decentralised approach to chemical recycling than seen in other technologies.

INEOS Styrolution global R&D/IP director and chair of the SCS technology working group Dr. Norbert Niessner said : “We see great potential to use Pyrowave’s patented chemical recycling technology, catalytic microwave depolymerisation.

“We now will scrutinise the specifics of this proprietary technology to adequately proliferate this process in Europe,” Niessner added.

So far, the majority of chemical recycling projects announced across Europe have been targeted mostly at polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high density and low density polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP), which has presented its own challenges in terms of both feedstock and costs.

INEOS Styrolution had previously announced a partnership with Pyrowave and ReVital Polymers to recycle single-serve PS packaging.

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Source : ICIS

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