Honeywell (Des Plaines, Illinois / USA; www.honeywell.com) is commercialising the development of its new advanced recycling process called “UpCycle Process Technology”, which converts plastics waste into a “Honeywell Recycled Polymer Feedstock” that can be used to create new polymers. The company claims that the new technology utilises molecular conversion, pyrolysis and contaminant-management technology to create new materials, even from hard-to-recycle plastics waste such as coloured, flexible, multi-layered packaging and polystyrene. The polymers produced can be used in food packaging, medical devices and pharmaceutical applications, the company adds.

Honeywell plans to launch the technology through a joint venture with Spain-based global engineering and services company, Sacyr (Madrid; www.sacyr.com). The two companies will co-own and operate a facility in Andalucia / Spain, which will have the capacity to process 30,000 t/y of mixed plastics into recycled polymer feedstocks. Production is expected to begin in 2023.

Recycled plastics produced with the UpCycle Process Technology can result in a 57% reduction of carbon emissions compared to production of the same amount of virgin plastics made from fossil feeds, and a reduction of carbon emissions up to 77% compared to conventional incineration and landfilling of plastics waste, according to Honeywell.