Chemical recycling firm Plastic Energy has unveiled a new life cycle assessment (LCA) for its innovative pyrolysis technology, known as TAC. This assessment was conducted by the climate change consultancy Sphera and commissioned by Plastic Energy.

Source: ptonline

The research indicates that TAC recycling can reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by up to 78% compared to energy recovery through incineration. Currently, incineration with energy recovery is the predominant method for disposing of hard-to-recycle plastics in Europe. In scenarios powered entirely by renewable energy, this reduction could rise to 89%. The modeling utilized design data from Plastic Energy’s operational facilities in Spain and a pilot plant in Loughborough, United Kingdom, with adjustments made for variations in capacity and enhanced operational parameters.

Sharing this second LCA is an important milestone for both Plastic Energy and the chemical recycling industry. Being able to properly quantify the environmental impact of our technology underscores the benefit it provides to emissions, circularity and waste reduction of hard-to-recycle plastics. This study demonstrates the possibility of our TAC process as a well-established chemical recycling technology producing a valuable alternative feedstock for the chemical industry, as well as serving as a novel waste management pathway.

These findings expand upon the company's initial life cycle assessment published in 2020. The TAC recycling process involves a combination of post-consumer films and flexible plastics that are not typically suitable for mechanical recycling. This process generates TACOIL, syngas, and char. TACOIL can serve as a substitute for fossil-derived oils in new plastic production, syngas is harnessed for internal energy needs, and the company is exploring ways to valorize and commercialize the char byproduct.