Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), Brussels, Belgium, and Agilyx, Tigard, Oregon/USA, announced a collaboration between Ineos Styrolution, Trinseo, and Agilyx to built the first-of-a-kind polystyrene (PS) chemical recycling facility in Europe.

SCS members Ineos Styrolution and Trinseo, global manufacturers of PS and other styrenic materials combined resources to advance the development of a commercial scale chemical recycling plant. The new plant will be capable of processing up to 50 tons-per-day of post-consumer PS feedstock.

This project advancement follows the promising results of an evaluation study in which SCS, the joint industry initiative to increase the circularity of styrenic polymers, engaged Agilyx, a developer of chemical recycling technologies for plastics, to perform tests with samples of post-consumer PS food packaging waste. Agilyx evaluated the composition of the waste feedstock and recycled it back into its original liquid monomer, using its proprietary depolymerisation technology According to the companies this project demonstrated polystyreneâ??s unique intrinsic capability to be fully recycled.

PS and Recycling

PS is a polymer with unique circularity potential, as it is most easily reversed into its original monomer at high yield with the emerging game-changing recycling technologies. The liquid state of its monomer enables easy purification. The recycled monomer is identical to the virgin monomer. It can thus be processed into styrenics polymers with identical, virgin quality enabling all applications, including food contact. Also, from there it can be continuously recycled, over and over again.

About Agilyx

Agilyx, based in Tigard, Oregon, is the leader and pioneer in chemically recycling difficult-to-recycle mixed waste plastic streams into high value low carbon circular feedstocks and fuels. The Company has developed the first system capable of recycling polystyrene waste into styrene monomer, which is then used to make new polystyrene ("PS") products. The company also has commercialized a technology that converts mixed plastics to high quality crude oil. From these first to market products, the company has since expanded its product platform into a broad range of customized low carbon chemicals, polymers and fuels. Agilyx is working with waste service providers, municipalities, refiners, and private and public enterprises to develop closed-loop industrial solutions for mixed waste plastics.

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