Feedstock Quality Guidelines for Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste

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).

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.