Agilyx to team with Braskem on recycling method

Resin producer agrees to work with technology provider on mixed plastics recycling research.

Global plastic resin producer Braskem has agreed to work with recycling technology provider Agilyx Corp. on the initiation of a feasibility study to explore the development and construction of an “advanced” plastics recycling project in North America.

Advanced plastics recycling, also called chemical recycling, is defined by the Washington-based American Chemistry Council as “several different technologies that convert post-use plastics into their original building blocks, specialty polymers, feedstocks for new plastics, fuels, waxes and other valuable products.”

The project aims to find a cost-effective path to produce polypropylene (PP) using difficult-to-recycle mixed plastic scrap as feedstock and using Agilyx technology. Mixed plastic for the project would be sourced through Agilyx’s feedstock management company, Cyclyx International Inc. Additionally, the project is targeting “circular PP with the necessary properties for demanding customer applications such as food packaging, consumer and hygiene products,” the two companies say.

“As the North American leader in polypropylene, Braskem is committed to evolving its feedstock portfolio to leverage more sustainable input sources and is currently evaluating various supply agreements and innovative projects to drive this shift,” says Mark Nikolich, CEO of Philadelphia-based Braskem America. “Looking forward, Braskem intends to explore direct investment options as needed to help accelerate this transition to more circular and sustainable feedstock and production technologies.”

“We are pleased to partner with Braskem to advance this project forward and to expand the market for postuse recycled plastic,” says Tim Stedman, CEO of Agilyx. “Agilyx has a proven technology leadership and track record in converting hard-to-recycle plastic. This collaboration targets a new product pathway for Agilyx, converting mixed waste plastic into the chemical building blocks used to produce polypropylene.”

Brazil-based Braskem describes itself as the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and a leading producer of biopolymers in the world.

Tigard, Oregon-based Agilyx describes itself as a pioneer in the advanced recycling of difficult-to-recycle post-use plastic streams.