Axens, IFPEN and JEPLAN announce commercialisation by Axens of the Rewind® PET chemical recycling process
Published by Poppy Clements,
Assistant Editor
Hydrocarbon Engineering,
This is a major step forward for the three partners, concluding a successful one-year test period within the demonstration unit, which qualifies the performance of the technology, and will enable a further acceleration of the energy transition and the circular economy of plastics, which are at the heart of Axens' and IFPEN's strategy. Axens teams will now be able to market a complete Rewind® PET licence package to their customers all over the world.
Axens, IFPEN and JEPLAN formed a strategic partnership in 2020 to develop this innovative chemical recycling process, which can be used to recycle all types of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste, especially the waste difficult that is to recycle mechanically. With the support of the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), this collaboration resulted in the construction, commissioning and start-up of the semi-industrial Rewind® PET unit in September 2023.
The validation and commercial launch of Rewind® PET follows the positive outcome of a year-long programme of tests carried out in the demonstration unit. This test programme demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the process while treating post-consumer PET waste. Results and launch are on schedule, in line with the ambitions announced by the three partners. Axens is now in a position to offer a complete Rewind® PET license package, including basic process design (which may be modularised), performance guarantees, supply of proprietary equipment and technical support for the start-up and operation of its customers' industrial units.
Rewind® PET involves the continuous depolymerisation of PET by glycolysis, followed by in-depth purification of the resulting monomer, BHET (Bis(2-Hydroxyethyl) terephthalate). Its main advantage for manufacturers lies in its ability to separate all additives and colourants to restore a pure BHET monomer, which can be easily re-polymerised in existing (or new) polymerisation plants. Recycled PET produced from the semi-industrial plant's pure BHET monomer has already received approval from several major companies in the food packaging and cosmetics sectors, underlining its potential for widespread market adoption.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/22102024/axens-ifpen-and-jeplan-announce-commercialisation-by-axens-of-the-rewind-pet-chemical-recycling-process/
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