Italian “green” chemistry company NextChem (Rome; www.nextchem.it) said it has created a new subsidiary called MyRechemical to convert non-recyclable polymers and other materials into different chemical products, and it announced separate agreements to work with companies in India and Italy.

NextChem, a subsidiary of Italy's Maire Tecnimont (Milan; www.mairetecnimont.com), said MyRechemical's platform “is the result of the integration between different proprietary and licensed technologies. The core of the process is the chemical conversion of carbon and hydrogen contained in waste (non-recyclable plastics, RDF and dry fraction) by partial oxidation and subsequent purification, from which a low carbon syngas is obtained.”

This gas can be converted with a process extension into hydrogen, methanol, ethanol and derivatives, products with a lower carbon content than those from fossil sources, which can be included in the category of sustainable fuels, the company explained.

Additionally, NextChem said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with IndianOil (IOCL, New Delhi; www.iocl.com), to develop projects for chemical plastics recycling, producing biofuels from renewable feedstock, and circular fuels and chemicals from non-recyclable waste in India.

Furthermore, the Italian company said it has signed a strategic agreement with Aliplast (Ospedaletto d'Istrana, Treviso / Italy; www.aliplastspa.com), the plastics collection, recycling and conversion unit of compatriot municipal services provider Gruppo Hera (Bologna; www.gruppohera.it). The partners plan to upcycle plastic waste into high value-added polymers. NextChem will provide technology and engineering, procurement and construction services to build a plant at one of Hera’s sites by using the "MyReplast" technology. Once fully operational, the plant for post-consumer plastic waste will be able to produce up to 30,000 t of polymers per year, the partners said.

Aliplast operates plants in Italy, France, Spain and Poland, with 90,000 t/y of finished products and regenerated polymers. The partnership with NextChem will allow Aliplast to exploit recycling and compounding opportunities in order to expand into the sector of rigid plastics, like PP, HDPE and ABS.