CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
Dow and Mura Technology | September 15, 2022
Dow the world's leading materials science company, and Mura Technology, the global pioneer of an advanced plastic recycling solution, announce the next step in their ongoing collaboration to help solve the global plastics waste issue and advance circularity. Mura plans to construct a new facility at Dow's Böhlen site in Germany – the latest in a series of planned facilities across the U.S. and Europe to rapidly scale advanced recycling of plastics – and the first expected to be based at a Dow site. This project is targeted for a final investment decision by the end of 2023.
Mura's new Böhlen facility in Germany, which is expected to be operational by 2025, would deliver approximately 120 kilotons per annum (KTA) of advanced recycling capacity at full run-rate. This and the other planned units expected to be constructed across Europe and the U.S. would collectively add as much as 600KTA of advanced recycling capacity by 2030 – and position Dow to become the largest consumer of circular feedstock for polyethylene production globally.
"The continuation and growth of Dow and Mura's collaboration is another example of how Dow is working strategically to expand and build momentum around securing circular feedstocks and supporting breakthrough advanced recycling technologies,"
Isam Shomaly, Dow business vice president for Feedstocks and Commodities
"We continue to increase Dow's capacity to use recycled content as feedstock, and continue to invest in the most effective technology available to enable our circular business model for plastics," said Diego Donoso, president of Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics. "The diversification of our feedstock slate and decarbonization of our assets will enable the achievement of Dow's goal of a sustainable, low-carbon future, and meet strong and growing customer demand for circular polymers. This will be a significant step forward to decrease our dependency on virgin fossil-based feedstocks."
The planned facility builds on Dow's ongoing collaboration with Mura, first announced in 2021, with an initial project to construct the world's first plant using Mura's HydroPRS™ process, located in Teesside, UK, which is expected be operational in 2023 with an initial 20KTA production line. The Böhlen, Germany, site, expected to be co-located with Dow's manufacturing facilities, would enable a significantly larger capacity for plastic waste and considerably increase the supply of fully circular feedstock to the industry. This circular feed, derived from plastic waste currently destined for incineration or landfill, would reduce reliance on virgin fossil-based feedstocks and would enable Dow to produce a recycled plastic which is in high demand from global brands, particularly for high-end sensitive markets like food and medical applications.
Dow aims to take advantage of co-location benefits, which could significantly reduce the cost of scaling advance recycling facilities. In addition, co-location of Mura's facilities at Dow locations would be expected to reduce carbon emissions by minimizing transportation of the offtake and as gas output from the advanced recycling process can be converted back to plastics, thereby ensuring no by-products go to waste.
Steve Mahon, chief executive officer at Mura Technology, said, "Combating the global plastics crisis requires innovative solutions which can drive a circular economy. Mura's collaboration with Dow has led to the largest commitment across the industry to date, showcasing the urgency from industry leaders to adopt scalable solutions such as HydroPRS that will transform the plastics industry worldwide. Dow's continued support for Mura Technology has led to a highly financeable commercial arrangement and the deepening collaboration will allow both companies to achieve their stated ambitions in the advanced recycling space.
"Dow's commitments to accelerating a global circular plastics economy is exemplified through deploying HydroPRSTM at the newest advanced recycling facility in Germany, which will enable us to dramatically increase recycling capacity. Through our collaboration and Dow's extensive global reach, we can accelerate the pace and scale at which a circular plastics economy becomes a reality worldwide."
Mura's HydroPRS™ advanced recycling process is unique, as it uses supercritical steam to convert most forms of plastics – including flexible and multi-layer plastics, which have previously been deemed 'unrecyclable' – back into the original oils and chemicals from which they were made. These can then be used to create new, virgin-equivalent plastic products which are even suitable for food contact packaging.
With Mura's process, the same material can be recycled repeatedly, meaning it has the potential to eliminate single use plastic and prevent it from going to landfill or being incinerated. This has additional carbon benefits, with advanced recycling processes expected to save approximately 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of plastic recycled, compared to incineration and reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks.
About Dow
Dow combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and deliver a sustainable future. The Company's ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow's portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates 104 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $55 billion in 2021. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries.
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CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY
Clariter S.A. and Infinity Recycling | September 30, 2022
Clariter and Dutch impact investor Infinity Recycling are pleased to announce Infinity's Circular Plastics Fund's strategic investment in the further development of Clariter's commercial plants. With this investment, Infinity joins a number of organizations that have invested in Clariter over the last year, highlighting strong investor confidence in Clariter's breakthrough chemical upcycling technology.
Increased consumer environmental awareness has also increased the momentum of circular economy innovators like Clariter, whose breakthrough chemical recycling technology can upcycle a wide range of plastics.
Clariter provides a new, profitable alternative for traditional plastic waste. The company's proprietary technology transforms most plastic waste streams into high-quality, high-value products that can be used as inputs into over 1,000 sustainable industrial and consumer products.
With its profitable, net-carbon-negative and resource-efficient plastic-to-products solution, Clariter stands out in its field with the potential to become a powerful solution to the world's plastic waste problem.
Infinity Recycling's Circular Plastics Fund aims to support businesses scaling up their proven, advanced recycling technologies, making Clariter an ideal partner.
Common goals unite the two companies: to connect the value chain, prove the complementarity of mechanical and advanced recycling, and finally tackle the global plastic waste crisis.
"Clariter is on the cusp of a new phase in its evolution, with its impending global rollout and rapid growth. We have spent 19 years perfecting our technology to create a viable solution to plastic waste – creating high- quality, high-value products from most types of plastic waste using a highly efficient process with minimal waste and emissions. Having achieved a mature and market-ready technology, it is the perfect time to partner with expansion-oriented impact investors like Infinity. This investment will accelerate our growth, bringing us faster towards a sustainable future for us all."
Clariter's Founder and CEO, Ran J. Sharon
Jan Willem Muller, Infinity's Managing Partner added: "Having followed Clariter's evolution over the last few years, we are delighted to see the strides the company has made in developing its business, as well as their ESG focus, which we are eager to help Clariter mature in line with the sustainability principles that underpin the Circular Plastics Fund. Infinity is pleased to be able to step in as an investor and support the scaling up of a technology that differentiates itself in the plastics recycling industry by making end-products that can be directly used in consumer products manufacturing, reducing the market's dependency on fossil feedstock."
The investment was made under Article 9 of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which improves the transparency in the market for sustainable investment products and mitigates the risk of greenwashing.
About Clariter
Clariter is a global cleantech company that has developed a chemical recycling process that provides a solution to the plastic waste epidemic. This proprietary, efficient technology transforms plastic waste into high-quality, high-value products: oils, waxes, and solvents that replace fossil-based products. Clariter offers a commercially attractive combination of profitability and sustainability.
About Infinity Recycling
Infinity Recycling is a Rotterdam-based investment fund manager creating markets for end-of-life waste streams by investing in advanced recycling technologies. The team's experience in trading commodities and growth capital investing provides considerable value to technology companies, helping to convert valuable IP into profitable, scalable businesses. The Fund is committed to strong ESG performance and is classified as an Article 9 "dark green" impact fund, the highest designation under the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.
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CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Piedmont Lithium | October 06, 2022
Piedmont Lithium a leading global developer of lithium resources critical to the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain announced that Sayona Quebec, owned 75% by Sayona Mining and 25% by Piedmont, has launched a prefeasibility study for lithium carbonate production at its North American Lithium operation in Quebec.
The study will evaluate potential completion and restart of the lithium carbonate plant at NAL. The operations at NAL feature about 50% of the facilities needed to produce lithium carbonate, which were partially constructed by prior owners of the NAL operation. Sayona Quebec expects results of the PFS in H1 2023. Further evaluation of the production of lithium carbonate or lithium hydroxide in Quebec may follow completion of the PFS study.
President and CEO of Piedmont Lithium Keith Phillips said exploring opportunities to produce lithium chemicals in Quebec is an extension of the efforts already underway at NAL. “Evaluating the completion of the lithium carbonate facilities at NAL is a logical next step in our long-term plans for Quebec. In the near term, we continue to focus with our partners at Sayona on restart of spodumene concentrate production at NAL within H1 2023,” said Phillips. “Commercial shipments of spodumene concentrate could begin as early as Q3 2023, providing revenue generation from NAL as well as product sales through Piedmont’s offtake agreement.”
In September, Sayona Quebec announced that plans to restart spodumene concentrate production at NAL were on track with permitting and procurement of equipment well advanced and with most major items required for the NAL restart already on-site. A major mining contract was awarded to Fournier et Fils for the operation of the NAL open pit for a four-year term.
The statements in the link below were prepared by, and made by, Sayona Mining. The following disclosures are not statements of Piedmont and have not been independently verified by Piedmont. Sayona Mining is not subject to U.S. reporting requirements or obligations, and investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these statements. Sayona Mining’s original announcement can be found here.
About Piedmont Lithium
Piedmont Lithium is developing a world-class, multi-asset, integrated lithium business focused on enabling the transition to a net zero world and the creation of a clean energy economy in North America. Our goal is to become one of the largest lithium hydroxide producers in North America by processing spodumene concentrate produced from assets where we hold an economic interest. Our projects include our Carolina Lithium and Tennessee Lithium projects in the United States and partnerships in Québec with Sayona Mining and in Ghana with Atlantic Lithium. These geographically diversified operations will enable us to play a pivotal role in supporting America’s move toward energy independence and the electrification of transportation and energy storage.
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