Page 38 - Plastics News May 2026

COMPANY NEWS

no-material packaging essential. Downstream markets for it is compacted and heated to remove moisture
recycled materials also remain limited, particularly as recy- and impurities. The material then enters a con-
cled content in food-contact applications is largely restrict- tinuous reactor, where it is converted into
ed to PET and regulatory clarity around chemical recycling
is still evolving.
vapours through controlled heating.These va-
pours are further processed, cooled and con-
Together, these factors mean that while EPR mandates
exist, they have yet to translate intoafullyfunctionalcircu- densed into liquid hydrocarbon oils, which are
larsystem. purified to remove contaminants such as chlo-
rine and other trace elements. The final output is
ET: What risks do brands face if they fail to a high-purity circular feedstock that can be used
adapt to stricter EPR enforcement?
by petrochemical companies to produce new

AT: The risks are immediate and material. They plastics, including food-grade polymers.
include financial penalties and potential legal ac- ET: . How is this different from other recycling
tion from regulators, reputational exposure as methods?
audits become more transparent, and increasing
pressure from global buyers who are demand- AT: PolyCycl’s approach differs from both me-
ing verified circular materials. There is also the chanical recycling and most conventional py-
risk of higher long-term costs if compliance is rolysis systems in that it can process mixed,
delayed or handled inefficiently. Recent moves contaminated and flexible plastics that are oth-
such as PPCB setting time-bound deadlines for erwise difficult to recycle. It enables plastic-to-
compliance plans indicate that enforcement is plastic circularity by producing feedstock suit-
becoming more direct and outcome focused, able for virgin-equivalent polymers, including
with regulators expecting concrete and verifi- food-grade materials.
able action.
The company uses a continuous reactor system
ET: Can you explain your technology in simple that avoids the long batch cycles typical of many
terms? existing technologies, improving efficiency and
consistency. Its modular design allows for scal-
AT: One way to understand chemical recycling able deployment, while proprietary purification
is to think of plastics as a complex LEGO model. processes ensure that the final output meets
However intricate the structure may appear, it stringent petrochemical standards. These ele-
is ultimately made of simple building blocks that ments together enable cost-efficient recycling
can be taken apart and reused.
at scale.
PolyCycl’s technology works on the same princi- ET: How scalable is this technology?
ple. It breaks down used plastics into their funda-
mental hydrocarbon molecules, which can then AT: The technology is designed for industrial-
be used to manufacture new materials, includ- scale deployment, with modular units capable
ing low-carbon plastics. The process begins with of processing between 15 and 100 tonnes of
pre-cleaned waste entering the system, where waste plastics per day. This allows capacity to

40 PLASTICS NEWS May 2026