Dow and P&G partner for new recycling drive

Chemical giant Dow and international consumer brand Proctor & Gamble are working together to develop a new recycling technology.

The partners say their vision is convert hard-to-recycle plastic packaging into recycled polyethylene with near-virgin quality and a low greenhouse gas emissions footprint.

The companies have signed a joint development agreement to combine their patented technologies and know-how in the new chemical recycling process. The global partnership is underway and is expected to run until commercialisation.

Polyethylene focus

The programme will focus on using dissolution technology to recycle a broad range of plastic materials with a focus on polyethylene and targeting post-household plastic waste (especially rigid, flexible and multi-layer packaging).

The technology should deliver high quality post-consumer recycled (PCR) polymer with a lower greenhouse gas emissions footprint than fossil-based polyethylene. P&G anticipates using this polymer in its packaging.

Green targets

Dow has a sustainability target to commercialise three million tonnes of circular and renewable solutions by 2030 while P&G’s vision is to use 100% consumer packaging designed to be recycled or reusable by the same year.

‘Dow is committed to transforming plastic waste into circular solutions that can be made into high quality resins demanded by our customers while helping to accelerate a circular economy,’ says Dave Parrillo, Dow’s vp for R&D, packaging and specialty plastics and hydrocarbons.

‘Our partnership with Dow helps P&G advance our objective to scale industry solutions as we help create a circular future where materials are recycled and remade instead of becoming waste,’ adds Lee Ellen Drechsler, senior vp of corporate R&D at P&G.