C&EN discusses new plastic pyrolysis capacity planned in the US. Plants by Braven Environmental and Encina will take in a combined 225,000 metric tons of waste plastic per year.
Two new plastic pyrolysis plants are in the works in the US that could add a new recycling option for plastic trash and increase the supply of some commodity chemicals.
In pyrolysis, a feedstock such as waste plastic is heated in a low-oxygen environment and, instead of burning, breaks down into a mix of simpler hydrocarbons. Tweaking the reaction conditions—such as temperature, pressure, or use of a catalyst—allows operators to get various product mixtures.