Trinseo (Berwyn, Pa.; www.trinseo.com) has announced plans to process 50 tons of post-consumer polystyrene feedstock daily.
Polystyrene depolymerization essentially takes polystyrene waste and recycles it back into the original styrene monomer for use in new applications, making it circular. Additionally, Trinseo outlined its plan to offer 30% recycled content to customers for polystyrene packaging in Europe by 2025 at the recent K Show.
The company is a founding member of Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), a consortium which explores new methods for polystyrene recycling.
Trinseo has been a key supplier to the global packaging industry for decades. It offers high-impact polystyrene and polystyrene universal products for use in dairies, foodservice, serving, delis and bakeries, frozen and chilled products.
This summer, it announced that it will work with INEOS Styrolution and Agilyx to build a first-of-kind polystyrene chemical recycling facility in Europe which will take polystyrene waste for chemical recycling and depolymerisation .
Nicolas Joly, global business director, polystyrene and feedstocks, Trinseo, told Packaging News: “The announcement followed promising results from a study initiated by SCS focused on investigating the depolymerization of post-consumer polystyrene waste.
“Our new European chemical recycling plant will advance this work, demonstrating polystyrene’s unique intrinsic capability to be fully recycled. Our aim is to process up to 50 tons of post-consumer polystyrene feedstock each day.”
One of SCS’ aims is to unlock full polystyrene circularity through chemical recycling.
Joly said SCS aims to engage stakeholders from the entire value chain, including recyclers, waste management companies, converters and brand owners to join SCS and link waste streams to innovative recycling technologies.
“In addition, SCS places great importance on the collaboration with policymakers and authorities to promote the harmonization of styrenics collection and sorting practices at European, regional and local levels.”
He explained that polystyrene is ‘unique from a recycling standpoint’.
“Few other mass-produced polymers can be as fully returned to original form and re-used as polystyrene. Just as with other plastics, polystyrene can be recycled using mechanical and dissolution methods and SCS is working to advance these processes with the value chain.”
The joint venture plant comes off-the-back of successful commercial operation of this technology in North America.
“Our new European chemical recycling plant will advance this work, demonstrating polystyrene’s unique intrinsic capability to be fully recycled.
“By increasing polystyrene recycling rates and closing the loop with food grade recycled content, we will be well-positioned to become a key contributor to the European Commission’s recycling goals.”