A new method for turning plastic into oil

The conversion of mountains of plastic waste into oil, and new products, could help address gaps in Japan’s recycling efforts.

Escalating Plastic Production and Need for New Recycling Approaches
Global plastic production and waste are set to triple by 2060, and because plastics’ advantages make them hard to replace, researchers stress the need to shift material sourcing and waste management toward circular use of plastics.
HiCOP: Catalytic Plastic-to-Oil for High-Quality Recycling
Environment Energy Co.’s HiCOP technology converts mixed, dirty plastic waste into crude oil at 380–450°C using petroleum-refining catalysts, producing oil rich in naphtha suitable for chemical recycling into high-quality “virgin” plastics, with stable, continuous operation and improved fluidity.
Filling Recycling Gaps and Commercial Deployment
As mechanical recycling dominates but yields lower-quality products, HiCOP-type chemical recycling is seen as key to increasing recycling rates, especially for contaminated consumer and laminated plastics, with commercial operations planned from 2025 to convert 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually toward a more sustainable plastic circulation.