Page 22 - Plastics News August 2021

CoMPANY NEwS

Purecycle To Build Rpp Production Facility In Eastman To Help

Georgia P&G Meet Its Targets

S- bas e d
Uspeciality
mat e rials
c ompany
Eastman has
agreed to work
with Procter and
Gamble (P&G)
in its efforts to
convert its plastic
packaging and help create a circular
S-based recycling firm PureCycle Economic Development chairman packaging economy. P&G will use
UTechnologies is to build a facility Steven Kendrick said: “The Augusta Eastman’s Renew materials in select
to manufacture ultra-pure recycled Economic Development Authority is products and packaging, with plans to
polypropylene (rPP) in Augusta, excited to welcome [PureCycle] to the integrate the materials in its packaging
Georgia, US.The company reached an Augusta Corporate Park. “As they build later this year. Eastman develops
agreement with the Augusta Economic their facility and bring skilled jobs with its Renew materials from waste
Development Authority to develop the better-than-average salaries to the area, plastic using its molecular recycling
site at the Augusta Corporate Park.The they help in our overall plan of improving technologies.The two companies
site will use waste polypropylene (PP) to our park.” Besides the Augusta location, will also launch various initiatives to
produce rPP, with the capacity to host up PureCycle’s flagship recycling facility reduce dependence on virgin plastic
to five processing lines.In the project’s in Ironton, Ohio, is currently under and promote a circular economy
first phase, PureCycle will invest $440m construction. The company claims the for essential consumer products.
to develop three lines, each of which facility has already pre-sold more than PG Research and Development
will have the capacity to produce 130 20 years’ worth of output. PureCycle’s (R&D) senior vice-president Lee
million pounds a year. Once operational, rPP can be used for consumer goods, Ellen Drechsler said: “Eliminating
the 200-acre facility will create more automotive, construction and industrial waste plastic from our environment
than 80 jobs. PureCycle CEO Mike applications. Last May, the company is a complex global challenge that
Otworth said: “We’re delighted to be reached an agreement with energy requires a comprehensive, collaborative
working with the Augusta Economic firm Total, under which Total would approach across the entire plastic
Development Authority to establish buy a certain portion of the Ironton lifecycle.“P&G is taking a thoughtful
our next polypropylene purification facility’s output. “We’re delighted to be approach to addressing the collection,
facility.“Demand for high-quality working with the Augusta Economic processing, revitalisation and reuse
recycled polypropylene is continuing to Development Authority to establish of materials.“That’s why we selected
outpace supply as brands seek sustainable our next polypropylene purification Eastman’s molecular recycling
materials for their products. “Our facility,” said PureCycle CEO Mike technologies, which enable former
Augusta operation will be pivotal in Otworth. “Our Augusta operation will waste to be transformed into useful
our quest to help solve the plastic be pivotal in our quest to help solve products.” Besides their collaboration
waste crisis.” PureCycle chose Augusta- for the plastics waste crisis.” PureCycle on sustainable packaging, P&G
Richmond County for the facility’s Technologies LLC, a subsidiary of and Eastman plan to address the
location due to its feed and product PureCycle Technologies, Inc., holds a infrastructure required to increase
delivery supply-chain efficiencies, skilled global license to commercialize the only plastic recycling rates. The partners
labour market and community support. patented solvent-based purification will collaborate to prevent more plastic
The company aims to increase its capacity recycling technology developed by from entering the environment by
for producing virgin-like rPP from PP to The Procter & Gamble Company, for focusing on expanding the collection
one billion pounds by 2025. Augusta restoring waste polypropylene (PP) into of plastics that are harder to recycle.
virgin-like resin.

22 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021