ReNew ELP to revolutionise end-of-life plastic recycling with new technology

ReNew ELP has announced plans to build and operate new plastic recycling plants in the UK, using breakthrough technology to chemically recycle end-of-life plastics into valuable oils and chemicals.

ReNew ELP's patented Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR) technology was developed by Australian company Licella and has been extensively tested at a pilot plant in Australia.

The Cat-HTR process involves breaking down a wide range of plastics to its original component molecules and then rearranging these molecules to turn the waste plastic into readily usable chemicals and recycled oils.

ReNew ELP is building the first commercial scale Cat-HTR plant at the Wilton international site in Teesside.

The plant will initially recycle 20,000 tonnes of end-of-life plastic per annum, with plans to consent for a further three units, with a potential total processing capacity of 80,000 tonnes per annum.

"Our technology provides an innovative solution to the global problem of end-of-life plastic disposal and contributes to the creation of a circular economy,” said Richard Daley, Managing Director.

"The process achieves in 20 minutes what takes nature 200 million years. Our technology is unique when compared to every other thermal conversion process, as it uses water as the 'agent of change', so the plant can operate at far lower temperatures making it more efficient than pyrolysis or gasification.”

"We believe this technology can revolutionise the recycling of end-of-life plastics in the UK, and make a big dent in the amount of plastic that is currently going to landfill or ending up in our oceans,” added Steve Mahon, CEO of Armstrong Energy.

"We are currently identifying suitable waste streams from a broad range of plastics producers and waste management companies operating waste treatment facilities in the North East, to provide feedstock for our first 20,000 tonnes per annum plant, which will come on stream in late 2019."