What’s the best way to deal with hard-to-recycle plastics?

Around 26 million tonnes of plastic scrap is generated in Europe every year. While traditional recycling efforts play a crucial role, not all of this material is easily processed. Solutions will be presented at the upcoming PRC Europe 2024 conference and expo.

Chemical treatment is hailed by some as a game-changer, offering a viable means to tackle difficult-to-recycle plastics. For example, event sponsor BDI-BioEnergy International has joined forces with Next Generation Elements to launch SynCycle. It represents a new technology for chemical plastic recycling that breaks down ‘non-recyclable plastics’ on a molecular level, transforming them into a usable oil substitute.

During a panel discussion, Thomas Pichler from BDI-BioEnergy is going to unveil the inner workings of this process from a technology provider’s perspective.

‘Chemical recycling technologies are rapidly becoming the linchpin in our drive towards decarbonisation,’ says Valentijn de Neve from BlueAlp. His company claims it upcycles used plastics into valuable new feedstocks, paving the way for a more sustainable and closed-loop economic model.

As one of the speakers at the closing panel, De Neve is going to share insights on how the company ‘breaks the mould’ with its innovative recycling process. BlueAlp underlines the importance of weaning companies off their reliance on virgin oil.

Meanwhile, Bayernoil Raffineriegesellschaft will demonstrate that plastic recycling is an attractive business for refineries. The company representative Giuseppe Sartorio is eager to explain how the existing infrastructure can be adapted to handle recycled plastic, creating a ‘win-win scenario’ for sustainability and profitability.