Plastic pyrolysis
From plastic waste to high-quality oil
Chemical recycling is based on the thermal decomposition (depolymerization) of plastics in the absence of oxygen. This process is known as thermolysis or pyrolysis. In order for plastic waste to be turned into packaging material, a naphtha-like product must be created.
Mechanical recycling
The plastic in our waste consists largely of packaging. Some of this can be collected separately, melted, and reused. Recycling cycles for LDPE industrial waste and reusable PET bottles have become established.
Because mechanical recycling doesn't break down the chemical bonds in plastics, this type of recycling has its limitations. The reason is that packaging typically contains additives that make mechanical recycling difficult or impossible. Even a few color pigments, for example, result in an undesirable gray color.
Even with multilayer films, such as those used for sausage and cheese packaging, mechanical recycling is not possible because the different plastic layers cannot be separated from each other. Furthermore, the molecular chains shorten with each recycling cycle, meaning the plastic cannot be mechanically recycled an unlimited number of times.
Chemical recycling
Chemical recycling allows polyolefin-containing plastic waste to be converted into naphtha-like products, which are used in the petrochemical industry to manufacture plastic products with a wide range of applications. This closes the circular economy for products (e.g., used tires) that would otherwise not be reused and would end up as waste.
To date, not all types of plastic can be recycled economically using this process. As a pioneer in the field of chemical recycling, enespa has set itself the goal of further developing the process technically and establishing it on the market.
Process overview
Raw materials
The composition of the raw material impacts the entire process. We process HDPE, LLDPE, PP, and PE. Foreign plastics such as PVC, PA, or PET must be eliminated because they lead to elevated levels of chlorine, nitrogen, or oxygen-saturated compounds.
»Pretreatment»
»Pyrolysis»
Oil refining
Our pyrolysis oils are so-called intermediates, which we can further process into a drop-in product at our Hoyerswerda site using our proprietary equipment. Sales revenue is based on the crude oil price and is based on the ICIS index value.
Advantages
Mechanical and chemical recycling counteract the formation of CO2 and microplastics, as plastics are no longer incinerated or disposed of in landfills. Recycling also helps reduce the demand for fossil fuels such as natural gas and petroleum.
enespa closes the cycle
For a long time, chemical recycling was considered inefficient and uneconomical. Thanks to a modern enespa plant, this is no longer the case.
Only chemical recycling closes the plastics cycle. Recycled plastics are in no way inferior to virgin plastics and can be used everywhere.
Our guarantee
You receive a quality guarantee for our products. Consistent quality is ensured through analyses conducted by our laboratory and regular inspections by an independent third-party laboratory.
When you buy pyrolysis oil or carbon black from us, you can be sure that they were produced in an energy-efficient and sustainable manner from recycled vehicle tires.
Dr. Albert Paparo heads our research laboratory in Tangstedt, Schleswig-Holstein. His team's work has contributed to the optimization of the pyrolysis process, which is now both economical and sustainable.
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