Many people still don’t know that plastic originates from oil. But if plastic comes from petroleum, what’s to stop the process from being put in reverse? It turns out it’s already happening. A company aptly named “Recycling Technologies” is utilizing a chemical process called thermal cracking to do so. Thermal cracking is typically part of the oil refining process, but Recycling Technologies is using it to break plastic back down into a material they call “Plaxx” which can be used for heavy oil products or remade into other plastics. While it isn’t exactly the same as petroleum, the good news is that it seems to be even better. It’s still under testing, but if successful it could potentially be used to power vehicles like heavy tankers. With one Recycling Technologies machine capable of processing 7000 tons of plastics per year, the potential to catch up with the world’s enormous production of plastic waste is no longer completely out of sight.
Today, only approximately 9% of plastic waste is being recycled.[1] It is clear, that while plastics pollution is a global issue, the chemical industry has taken up this challenge. As Clariant has been driving sustainability for years as an integral part of its strategy, the company has also joined forces with several partners to ultimately increase this rate globally by transforming plastic waste into valuable chemicals. Recently, Clariant Catalysts has teamed up with the VUCHT Research Institute of Chemical Technology, which is part of the Slovakian chemical company Duslo. By using their proprietary technique and Clariant’s HYDEX® E catalysts, VUCHT has successfully converted plastic waste into premium winter diesel, i.e. diesel fuel which does not gel even in extremely cold weather with temperatures as low as -30°F (-34°C). Scaling up to near-plant capacity was the ultimate test of the practicality of VUCHT’s proprietary diesel production process.
How does Clariant contribute to this innovation?
Let’s take one step back and get to know more about Clariant’s solution HYDEX® E. The highly selective de-waxing catalyst is designed to improve flow properties during cold weather conditions. HYDEX E maintains its predecessors’ exceptional robustness and flexible application, yet considerably increases diesel yield while reducing undesired by-product formation. Consequently, producers not only benefit from higher cost-efficiency, but also improved sustainability.
How does the process work?
VUCHT uses a pyrolysis process to convert plastic waste collected in Slovakia (such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene and PET) into diesel fuel. The process thermally degrades the plastic at temperatures above 300°C (530°F), converting it into liquid oil comprised of various hydrocarbon compounds. Recently, the institute developed a proprietary technique to further convert the liquid oil into a high-quality fuel distillate known as winter diesel. As plastics and fuels are both mainly made from natural gas or crude oil, turning one into the other has major implications for sustainable and lucrative fuel production. The efficacy of this groundbreaking process has now been proven in a demonstration plant in Slovakia.
