July 3, 2025 14:09

A new chemical recycling facility for plastic waste was inaugurated yesterday in Kamisu, Japan. Developed in partnership by Eneos and Mitsubishi Chemical, the project was first announced four years ago.

The plastic-to-oil plant employs HydroPRT (Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Technology) technology licensed from Mura Technology, which uses 'supercritical water' (water under elevated pressure and temperature) to convert mixed plastic waste into an oil that can replace fossil feedstocks in petrochemical complexes, including for the manufacture of new plastics. Eneos and Mitsubishi Chemical will feed this oil into their own refining and cracking units.

The facility is now undergoing ISCC Plus certification to guarantee traceability of recycled content through mass-balance accounting along the supply chain.

When first presented in 2021, the project was expected to handle 20,000 tonnes of waste per year.

© Polimerica -  Reproduction prohibited, all rights reserved