Chemical firms sign agreement with TNO to start R&D Hub for plastic waste

Some of the biggest chemical suppliers in the world have signed an agreement with Dutch innovation organization TNO to start an R&D Hub for plastic waste processing.

Sabic, BASF, Covestro, Dow, Lyondell Basell, Mitsubishi Chemical, and Solvay are all partnering with TNO on the Hub. The first set of projects is set to launch in the second half of 2023.

The collaboration is part of the Low-Carbon Emitting Initiative (LCET) between the World Economic Forum and a group of global chemical sector companies that was first announced in 2021.

According to the companies, the projects are aimed at making significant strides towards more sustainable plastic waste processing and help address industry-specific topics related to the development of mechanical and chemical recycling routes.

“With the launch of its first project, the LCET has demonstrated its role as an ‘incubator’ for collaborative action to accelerate greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in the chemical production value chain,” said Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, CEO of Sabic. “Improving recycling rates can significantly contribute to our progress toward a circular carbon economy, and by bringing together the knowledge and expertise of our companies, we can find new ways to drive net-zero solutions.”

“We are very proud to be selected as the host and orchestrator of this great initiative,” said Henk-Jan Vink, managing director at TNO. “This unique co-creation between the LCET members, our experts and innovation partners will result in practical and disruptive technology solutions to allow increased levels of circular plastics with a lower environmental footprint. TNO is confident to further build on its experience in the field of circular modelling, packaging and materials know-how and provide the industry with fit-for-use solutions.”

The R&D Hub is the first project to be launched out of the LCET initiative, with further projects in the development stage for 2023.