Covestro: Construction of BioBTX’s chemical recycling plant planned from 2027

Aerial view of the Delfzijl Chemical Park in the Netherlands, where BioBTX’s new plant is also due to be built.

According to Covestro, the plant operated by its Dutch partner is due to come on stream in mid-2028.
 
The Dutch developer of circular chemical technologies, BioBTX, is building what is reportedly the world’s first commercial plant for converting mixed plastic waste into high-value aromatic chemicals based on its ICCP (Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process) technology. This has been announced by the plastics manufacturer Covestro, which has been a shareholder and strategic partner of the Groningen-based company since 2024, holding a stake in the mid-single-digit million-euro range. The plant is to be built at the Delfzijl Chemical Park on the north coast of the Netherlands and is expected to create 35 new jobs. BioBTX’s proprietary ICCP technology, which is to be used at the site, converts mixed plastic waste into an oil consisting of benzene, toluene and xylenes (B-T-X) via catalytic pyrolysis. According to the information provided, these basic chemical building blocks are used in the chemical industry in the manufacture of coatings, pharmaceuticals and high-performance materials. It could also be used for Covestro’s isocyanate production (MDI/TDI), which is used to manufacture, amongst other things, flexible foam for mattresses and rigid foam for insulating fridges. In total, the plant is expected to recycle around 20,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste annually, which would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfill. According to Covestro, this can yield around 10,000 tonnes of oil and 8,000 tonnes of sustainable by-products. The company further states that the ICCP technology is flexible in terms of feedstock and could be extended to other sources in the future, such as biomass.
 
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