Circular Economy News — Week 38

summary about last week 38

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1. Lyondell-Basell’s New Recycling Facility in Lich to Process Thousands of Tons of Plastics, Targeting 2 Million Tons of Recycled Polymers by 2030 ♻️

Lyondell-Basell is enhancing its recycling infrastructure in Germany with a new facility in Lich, designed to process automotive parts and household appliances. This facility is a key step in the company’s broader strategy to produce 2 million tons of recycled and renewable polymers annually by 2030.

• The Lich facility will remove contaminants like paint and metals using mechanical recycling technologies.

• The recycled output will be integrated into Lyondell-Basell’s Circulen Recover product line, targeting applications in the automotive and household appliance industries.

• The facility is set to start operations in Q4 2024, with an additional chemical recycling plant in Wesseling expected to treat up to 50,000 tons of waste annually starting in 2026.

Lyondell-Basell’s investments signify a major push toward reducing plastic waste and enhancing sustainability in key industrial sectors.

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2. BNW Proposes a Feed-In Tariff for Recycled Plastics to Offset Costs: Up to 100% Price Difference Compared to Virgin Plastics 💡

The Federal Association for Sustainable Economy (BNW) has proposed a “feed-in tariff” to encourage companies to use recycled plastics, which can be up to 100% more expensive than virgin materials. This plan aims to create a level playing field and stimulate innovation in the plastic recycling sector.

• Recycled plastics face a significant price disadvantage, making them economically unviable despite environmental benefits.

• The feed-in tariff would be linked to CO₂ and energy savings, incentivizing companies to switch to recycled materials.

• BNW suggests eliminating €1.3 billion in counterproductive subsidies to fund the scheme, with the goal of aligning it with EU recycling mandates by 2030.

This initiative could create a more competitive market for recycled plastics, driving…