Technip Energies, Alterra and Neste have unveiled a modular chemical recycling plant solution designed to accelerate the deployment of chemical recycling projects for plastics waste.
The commercial launch of Nerea will enable waste operators, project developers, refining and petrochemical firms to scale circular plastics production with enhanced predictability, the companies said in a statement.
The solution is said to feature Alterra’s thermochemical liquefaction technology, Neste’s chemical recycling expertise, and Technip Energies’ engineering, project delivery and modularisation capabilities.
“With Nerea, we are bringing together with our partners a proven technology, feedstock expertise and industrial delivery in a standardised offering, ready to deploy at scale,” said Julie Cranga, senior vice-president of carbon capture and circularity product line at Technip Energies.
Alterra is the developer, operator, and licensor of a thermochemical liquefaction process technology that renews discarded plastics back into its original building blocks.
“By combining proven technology, industrial expertise and a standardised delivery model, we’re helping reduce the barriers that have traditionally slowed the growth of chemical recycling,” said Fred Schmuck, chief executive at Alterra.
End-of-Waste criteria
The news comes after the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) recently called on the European Commission to establish harmonised end-of-waste criteria for chemical recycling.
In its position paper, it urged the EC to act without delay to:
- Base End-of-Waste criteria for chemical recycling on the conditions of Article 6(1) of the Waste Framework Directive, ensuring a consistent and technology-neutral application across all chemical recycling routes.
- Ensure that, once waste ceases to be waste, the resulting materials are subject to applicable product and chemicals legislation, which inherently provide robust quality assurance and traceability systems, thereby maintaining a high level of protection for human health and the environment without the need for additional control mechanism.
- Recognise that End-of-Waste may be achieved at different stages of the chemical recycling route, where specification-controlled secondary raw material intermediates meeting Article 6(1) conditions are produced.
- Adopt an output-and intended use approach grounded in Article 6(1) of the Waste Framework Directive.
- Establish harmonised EU-wide End-of-Waste criteria for chemical recycling technologies to ensure the functioning of the internal market and provide regulatory certainty for investment.
Cefic warned that the absence of a dedicated and harmonised framework would continue to ‘slow down innovation, disrupt cross-border value chains and delay investments in chemical recycling capacity in Europe’.
‘Providing legal certainty and a level playing field across the EU is essential to unlock investment, scale up circular solutions and accelerate industrial transition,’ it added.
