Plastic waste will be recycled at the soon-to-be built joint plant between Mol and Lummus

The Mol Group and US-based Lummus Technology, a global process technology and value-based energy solutions company, have announced a partnership for the chemical recycling of plastics.As part of the partnership, the design phase of the first Lummus Advanced Waste Plastic Recycling plant has started, Mol said on Friday.

According to the information, the first plant will be set up at the Tiszaújváros site of Mol Petrochemicals and will have an annual capacity of 40,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste. The converted chemical products and raw materials will be processed at the Mol Petrochemicals plant.

Launching a multi-sustainable investment

It was highlighted that the plant will also incorporate advanced greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction design elements, including an all-electric pyrolysis reactor, which will result in the unit having zero direct scope 1 emissions in normal operation.

Mol pointed out that the chemical recycling of plastics is part of the company's commitment to collect around 5 million tonnes of municipal solid waste per year in Hungary, to treat it and to implement related investments.

Moving towards a circular economy

Gabriel Szabó, Managing Director of the Mol Group Downstream, stressed that the chemical industry will also play an important role in kick-starting the circular economy and accelerating the smart transition. The construction of a pyrolysis plant with a capacity of 40 000 tonnes will be an important step in the recycling of plastics.

The pyrolysis technology of the Lummus enables plastic waste to be converted into high-value chemicals and raw materials, providing a new answer to the challenges of waste management.

According to the information, the newly announced project is part of the partnership between Lummus and Mol announced in 2023, which aims to introduce and integrate chemical recycling of plastics into Mol's facilities in Hungary and Slovakia.