New Anellotech technology tackles plastic pollution by recycling plastic waste into chemicals

Sustainable technology company Anellotech is significantly expanding its programme with Pas-TCat, a new process technology aimed at converting a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals, which can then be used to make new, virgin plastics.

Plas-TCat has the potential to offer a new, cost-effective process which will recycle significant quantities of waste plastics directly into commodity chemicals.

Once in the recycling system, waste plastics could be converted into commodity chemicals such as olefins, alkanes, and aromatic chemicals, which are identical to their petro-based counterparts which are currently used to make virgin plastics.

Anellotech wants to develop Pas-TCat so it could convert the majority of plastic materials used today, including composite films, and it aims to use its Bio-TCat lab and TCat-8 pilot systems to feed in plastics waste, eventually developing and designing a commercial plant to efficiently make commodity chemicals at large scale, using the same basic process configuration.

David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech, said: “Plas-TCat has the potential to transform plastic waste such as composite films, mixed plastics, and plastics with biomass, such as paper labels, directly into valuable chemicals.”

“It can handle oxygenated polymers, an important advantage over pyrolysis processes that produce complex oil mixtures which require upgrading and additional conversion in steam crackers.”

“With potentially high yields of valuable products, we are keen to use Plas-TCat un areas where plastic waste collection is not enforced and collection infrastructure to isolate waste plastics streams is currently lacking.”

“By allowing payment for waste plastic, Plas-TCat provides economic incentives to tackle plastic pollution, especially in developing countries where most of the ocean plastic pollution originates.”“We are excited about this new venture and are seeking engagement with knowledgeable strategic partners to provide development funding, as well as knowledge in waste plastics supply chain and mechanical handling, to help accelerate this project.”