Braskem and Shell jointly produce circular polypropylene from mixed plastic waste
Braskem and Shell Chemicals signed an agreement to produce circular polypropylene from mixed plastic waste.
Under the agreement, Shell will upgrade a variety of pyrolysis oils into virgin-quality circular feedstocks at the Shell Chemicals Park in Moerdijk, Netherlands. Braskem will then convert the feedstock into circular polypropylene in its plant in Wesseling, Germany.
Braskem and Shell Chemicals will collaborate to produce circular polypropylene from plastic waste.
The circular polypropylene will be commercialized under the brand Wenew. It will significantly contribute to Braskem’s sustainability commitments to reduce plastic waste.
Braskem has the ambition to achieve 1 million tons of products with recycled material and recover 1.5 million tons of plastic from the environment by 2030.
Braskem and Shell Chemicals utilize chemical recycling to produce circular polypropylene. The first step of chemical recycling is turning plastic waste into pyrolysis oil. Then, through conventional chemical processing, pyrolysis oil is converted into propylene and ethylene, which then can be further processed into circular plastics.
“This agreement represents an important step to combine Shell’s technology and infrastructure with Braskem’s polymer expertise and market knowledge towards more sustainable and scalable solutions,” said Walmir Soller, VP of Olefins and Polyolefins at Braskem Europe & Asia.
Braskem is also working closely with its partners to launch circular polypropylene products for specific market applications, such as packaging and automotive.
