Recon Technology successfully completed the main manufacturing plant for Shandong Recon Renewable Resources Technology’s 40,000-ton-per-year waste plastic chemical recycling project, marking a milestone in the project's construction, as it officially enters the equipment installation and commissioning phase.

Recon Technology’s chemical recycling plant in Shandong, China.

To date, the company has invested over $15 million in this project. The project is expected to be fully completed by November 2025, and a required one-month trial operations production phase will commence in December 2025, in accordance with domestic regulatory laws, rules, and regulations.

The Recon Plastic Chemical Recycling Project spans an area of approximately 50 acres. The main construction components will include six pyrolysis units, two distillation units, and corresponding environmental protection facilities.

The project is expected to produce 30,000 tons of plastic pyrolysis oil and 6,000 tons of carbon residue annually, generating an estimated $30 million in annual returns and achieving the high-value conversion of waste plastic resources.

Chemical recycling technology from Recon

The Recon Plastic Chemical Recycling Project adopts a dual-process approach combining catalytic pyrolysis and catalytic reforming.

The pyrolysis process employs a "horizontal screw-type three-stage continuous reactor" for the first time, and effectively addressing the technical challenge of plastic coking in traditional processes and ensuring stable and continuous feedstock supply.

Additionally, the introduction of catalytic reforming significantly increases the olefin content of the pyrolysis oil, substantially enhancing its value and competitiveness in the market.

These technological breakthroughs are leading-edge applications in the global plastic pyrolysis field. Currently, the primary raw material for this project is membrane film-type waste plastic, which is difficult to process using physical recycling methods.