Biotrend Energy to implement Honeywell's UpCycle technology in new plastics recycling facility

Biotrend Energy will apply Honeywell's UpCycle process technology in Biotrend Energy's planned plastics recycling factory in Turkey. The facility will convert mixed waste plastics into recycled polymer feedstock (RPF), helping to enable the development of a circular economy for plastics. When completed, it will become the first commercialized waste plastics recycling facility in Turkey using Honeywell's UpCycle Process Technology.

The planned advanced recycling plant is expected to have the capacity to transform 30,000 metric tons of mixed waste plastics into Honeywell recycled polymer feedstock per year utilizing Honeywell's UpCycle process technology. Honeywell UOP will provide related engineering and technical services, including startup, commissioning, and technical support services during the plant's lifetime.

This project ushers in collaboration between Honeywell and Biotrend Energy on advanced plastics recycling in Turkey with the intent of the parties to collaborate on multiple additional waste plastic recycling facilities in the future.

Currently, Biotrend is only able to recover a low percentage of mechanically recycled materials. Moreover, there are some types of plastic waste that cannot be recycled mechanically due to certain process limitations caused by contamination, colours, and additives used in plastic production. Currently, the plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled are either converted into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) or stored in landfills.

Chemical recycling, like that used in the Honeywell UpCycle process technology, can process a wider range of waste plastics, supporting Biotrend's efforts to increase recovery volumes of circular materials.

"Honeywell's UpCycle process technology will help Biotrend Energy tackle the challenge of plastic waste in Turkey," says Barry Glickman, vice president and general manager of Honeywell's sustainable technology solutions. "Turkey will be able to increase the range of plastics that can be recycled, which offers the potential to displace a portion of fossil feedstocks for new plastic production."

Biotrend Energy processes 4,500,000 tons of waste per year across its 18 facilities (including pre-licenced plants) within Turkey. Biotrend Energy's activities include waste transfer, recycling, landfill, waste to energy, and production of organic fertilizer (compost) and RDF.

Honeywell's UpCycle process technology is a ready-now technology that utilizes molecular conversion, pyrolysis, and contaminants management technology to convert waste plastic to RPF which is then used to create new plastics. The UpCycle process technology expands the types of plastics that can be recycled to include waste plastic that would otherwise go unrecycled, including coloured, flexible, multilayered packaging, and polystyrene.