Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics and latex binders declared that plans for a world-class chemical recycling plant in Europe are progressing rapidly. In late 2021, Trinseo contracted with global technology provider Synova and global engineering services company Worley which is currently working on an engineering package and preparing Trinseo’ s Tessenderlo, Belgium site for recycling operations.
Trinseo is targeting to begin construction by the end of 2022. The plant will be dedicated to recycled polystyrene (rPS), meeting increased demand for the material as brand owners seek sustainable options. It will process 15 kilotons of rPS flakes annually that will be converted into high quality recycled styrene to enable further production of polystyrene (PS) and/or a styrene derivative including Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN).
PS is one of the most widely used plastics and can be fully circular. Due to its simple chemistry, it can be converted to its monomer yielding a material with identical properties as its fossil equivalent.
“Trinseo chose Synova and Worley to move forward with because of their leadership in their respective areas, the efficiency and maturity of their technologies and approaches, and high-quality output,” said Francesca Reverberi, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer. “Both, also, have a very strong commitment to sustainability and this alignment was critical for us as we continue our journey and goal of delivering sustainable material solutions, while maintaining high quality and performance.”
Synova is a provider of leading technology for the recycling of mixed plastic waste. The technology has been invented by TNO, an independent Dutch research organization, and features a highly efficient process to covert waste into high value products, while improving the carbon dioxide footprint.
Worley delivers project and asset services for the energy, chemicals, and resources sectors around the world. The company provides expertise in engineering, procurement, and construction, as well as consulting services. Every day, its 48,000-strong team helps customers get one step closer to solving our planet’s toughest issues such as climate change, the energy transition, digital transformation, and how we can deliver a more sustainable world.
The construction of the Tessenderlo recycling facility is part of Trinseo’ s commitment to circularity in plastics. As a major producer of PS, the company’s focus on polystyrene’s sustainability has allowed Trinseo to support its customers’ sustainability objectives, develop technologies that can be applied broadly, and impact the future of the plastics industry.
Besides being a founding member of Styrenics Circular Solutions and an active member of over 60 industry and trade associations globally, regionally and locally, Trinseo has been an advocate for mass balance processes, essential to providing sustainable plastics solutions. The company recently announced an off-take agreement for recycled styrene with recycler Indaver, the acquisition of recycler Heathland B.V., and the introduction of bio-attributed PS, ABS and SAN.
