July 2, 2025 16:23

The U.S. petrochemical giant ExxonMobil has launched a second chemical recycling pyrolysis unit at its Baytown site in Texas, effectively doubling its plastic waste processing capacity, now exceeding 70,000 tonnes per year.

The first unit, with a capacity of 36,000 tonnes per year, has been operational since 2022. To date, the Baytown facility has processed more than 45,000 tonnes of plastic waste.

“We’ve learned from the first unit what works well and what to do better,” ExxonMobil said. “These lessons have been applied to the second unit and improvements will continue with each new unit.”

The company also confirmed it is evaluating additional investments in advanced recycling technologies across North America, Europe and Asia. Already in the pipeline are a third and fourth unit at Baytown, as well as a new facility in Beaumont, Texas, which will bring total capacity to approximately 230,000 tonnes per year.

Late last year, ExxonMobil announced its goal to reach 450,000 tonnes per year of plastic waste processing capacity by 2027.

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