Waste Plastics Chemical Recycling in the Context of Refining and Petrochemical Industries

Rising demand for plastic materials results in increasing volumes of plastic waste generated globally. This poses a question of waste collection and handling of the growing waste volumes. With quality limitations of reuse and mechanical recycling, especially end-of-life mixed plastic waste is mostly landfilled, incinerated or lost to environment. Thermochemical recycling, especially pyrolysis, has been historically explored as an attractive alternative waste processing method with a potential to valorise the plastic waste into energy, fuels and more recently also chemicals and virgin polymers. Thermochemical plastic waste processing and treatment of the intermediates towards the final products have been found to be studied mostly in isolation. Therefore, this study provides a combined view. Updated state of pilot and demonstration projects is reviewed. Typical characteristics of plastic waste pyrolysis products are introduced and the areas of potential impacts on existing plants are highlighted. In order to address the circularity and economic aspect, a summary of recent relevant LCA and business studies is provided, showing common sensitivity factors and main assumptions used therein. Overall, this review summarizes the background behind the recycling of waste plastics and presents it in context of challenges and opportunities of integration with existing refining and petrochemical infrastructure.