Feedstock Quality Guidelines for Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste
This report lays out nine recommendations for feedstock that can be used for pyrolysis. The study aims to provide baseline characterisation to enable greater alignment across the recycling value chain.
Overview
A study conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting, on behalf of the Alliance, lays out nine key requirements for feedstock that would be suitable for pyrolysis. Recommendations include material composition, need for well-sorted, clean feedstock, as well as contamination thresholds. The study aims to provide a baseline characterisation to enable greater alignment across the recycling value chain, especially as feedstock considerations are likely to evolve in line with the sector.
Overview
A study conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting, on behalf of the Alliance, lays out nine key requirements for feedstock that would be suitable for pyrolysis. Recommendations include material composition, need for well-sorted, clean feedstock, as well as contamination thresholds. The study aims to provide a baseline characterisation to enable greater alignment across the recycling value chain, especially as feedstock considerations are likely to evolve in line with the sector.
The Role Pyrolysis Plays
Pyrolysis is the process of thermally breaking down plastic waste to recover materials that may be used in the production of new plastics, replacing virgin plastic feedstocks. Besides possessing the potential to recycle bottle-to-bottle, it is capable of processing hard-to-recycle plastic waste such as multi-layered packaging.
Like other recycling processes, pyrolysis connects the circular economy value chain by linking waste management operations with new manufacturing operations. Based on this study, pyrolysis recyclers require well-sorted, clean, and largely homogeneous feedstock comprising about 85% polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
Opportunities and Challenges
Today’s markets are developed around the requirements of mechanical recycling, a system that is more commonly employed. Although chemical recycling can play a complementary role to it, existing collecting and sorting systems limit the feedstock that can be used solely for pyrolysis. Materials that can otherwise be put back into the circular economy are then prematurely left in its end-of-life stage.
This includes flexible packaging (PE and PP) and multi-layered feedstocks.
Tangible Steps
Regardless of how plastic waste is recycled, recyclers often require feedstock streams that are consistent with minimal contamination. Achieving this requires concerted efforts across the plastic value chain – from reconfiguring packaging designs to contain lesser materials, to enabling better systems to sort plastic waste.
As policymakers, brand owners and the communities shape future targets with new innovations and investments, changes in the wider recycling market are inevitable. Through the findings of this study, we aim to identify and overcome the hurdles in the way of scaling recycled feedstock streams.
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