REMONDIS, Neste Partner to Develop Chemical Recycling of Plastic Waste

Neste, a provider of renewable diesel, renewable jet fuel and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, and REMONDIS, one of the world's largest privately owned recycling, service and water companies, have signed an agreement to collaborate in the development of chemical recycling of plastic waste. The companies will focus on developing and accelerating chemical recycling with a target to reach an annual capacity to process more than 200 kilotons of waste plastic.

Mechanical recycling of plastics has been making a positive contribution to circular economy, raw material security and climate protection for decades. Through this new partnership, REMONDIS and Neste combine REMONDIS’ waste collecting and sorting capabilities with Neste’s experience and know-how in oil refining and processing of low-quality waste and residue materials. The companies wish to build an ecosystem around chemical recycling to enable other companies in the value chain to join the initiative and complement mechanical recycling by closing the material circle also for those plastics that are difficult or impossible to recycle. 

Chemical recycling of plastics breaks down plastic waste into a raw material for the plastics and chemicals industries to use in the production of new, high-quality plastics, chemicals and fuels.

"In order to establish chemical recycling of plastics at an industrial scale, it is necessary that the recycling industry and the chemical industry work closely together. The partnership between REMONDIS and Neste will focus on creating an optimal recycling process to make even more plastics circular," said Jürgen Ephan, managing director of REMONDIS Recycling, in a statement.

"We are driven by our purpose of creating a healthier planet for our children. With REMONDIS among our sustainability-oriented value chain partners, we can build a chemical recycling solution to truly expand the possibilities of recycling those materials we cannot recycle today," said Mercedes Alonso, executive vice president of renewable polymers and chemicals at Neste, in a statement. "Chemical recycling will enable us to circulate carbon in society over and over again and reduce crude oil dependence, which is one of Neste’s key targets as a sustainability leader in our industry. Collaboration between REMONDIS and Neste will bring us one step closer to fulfilling our commitment to process annually more than 1 million tons of waste plastic from 2030 onwards."