GreenDot supplying pyrolysis oil to Shell for bioplastics

For the last six months, Germany’s GreenDot Group and Shell Chemicals Europe BV, a subsidiary of Shell, have been exploring ways to collaborate to try to deliver additional business outcomes across circular chemicals and polymers for Europe.

These discussions have now resulted in GreenDot supplying pyrolysis oil to Shell Chemicals Europe since March this year. GreenDot adds that it is leveraging its 30 years of experience running an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme in Germany to access plastics waste feedstock from households to produce pyrolysis oils.

Shell Chemicals Europe will use pyrolysis oil in its Market Development Upgrader unit (MDU), which is currently under construction at the Shell Chemicals Park in Moerdijk, Netherlands. The MDU is expected to start up later this year.

Shell Chemicals Europe will upgrade the pyrolysis oil to remove impurities and use the new cleaner feedstock to produce circular chemicals that can be further processed into circular polymers for use in plastics. These circular polymers can be used to make contact sensitive plastic packaging, which is designed for various contexts such as animal nutrition, food contact, medical devices, and cosmetic products.

“We are very happy to have supplied Pyrolysis Oil to Shell Chemicals Europe B.V. which will help to upgrade these pyrolysis oils and further develop the needed capacities in Europe for circular polymers. Only a few years are left for the first recycled content targets for polyolefins packaging that must be met. Collaboration is therefore crucial for many industry partners to pull together in the same direction. With these volumes supplied and Shell Chemicals Europe B.V. covering the upgrade of these pyrolysis oils, GreenDot has taken another critical step forward in fitting together all the pieces of the jigsaw, that ultimately enable circular polymers to be delivered at scale,” said Mark Vester GreenDot Advanced Recycling Managing Director.

GreenDot and Shell Chemicals Europe say they remain open to exploring additional outlets for future volumes to ultimately provide more circular chemicals and polymers.

Diverting more plastics waste from energy recovery, landfill and the environment is a critical step in progressing towards a true circular economy in Europe. Furthermore, collaboration with downstream partners and brand owners will demonstrate that advanced recycling technologies can play a critical role in meeting the growing demand for the safe, circular use of recycled materials in food contact products and help the EU to achieve its recycled content objectives for contact sensitive plastic packaging of 10% by 2030.