What are the key areas of focus in sustainable development for LyondellBasell?

We understand the issues being raised around plastic waste in our environment and we are committed to being part of the solution. While some actions can be done as a company, some are best driven through industry and value chain collaboration and we play a leading role in these wider initiatives, for example through our leadership of industry associations. We are also evaluating ways to make our processes circular, working to reduce the CO2 output from our operations and working with many groups to drive recycling.

The industry’s great challenge seems to be on the recycling side. What is LyondellBasell’s vision in this respect?

The circular economy is particularly relevant for plastics as they are uniquely suited to recycling and have a very long lifespan. Our vision is that, after use, plastics should not become waste but should be viewed as a feedstock or raw material for other uses. We are advancing developments in two different areas. In the mechanical recycling area, we have invested in Quality Circular Polymers (QCP), a joint venture with SUEZ that converts post-consumer waste polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) into high-quality plastic pellets. In the chemical recycling area, we are conducting a joint research program with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany to develop technology to convert plastic back into chemical feedstock.

Could you give us more details on the QCP joint venture with SUEZ?

Quality Circular Polymers (QCP), a 50/50 joint venture, is a premium plastics recycling company in Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands. SUEZ utilizes leading-edge technology to identify, separate and sort plastic materials from waste for use as feedstock at QCP. LyondellBasell will apply long-standing leadership in innovative plastic production technology, and deep knowledge of important end markets such as consumer goods, to replace virgin polymers with recycled plastics.

The QCP plant is capable of converting consumer waste into 30,000 tonnes of polypropylene and high-density polyethylene per year (mt/y), with additional production capabilities in the coming years. LyondellBasell has added QCP’s recycled products to its range of existing PE and PP materials to meet rapidly expanding customer demands.

When do you think chemical recycling can be done economically and at an industrial scale?

Chemical recycling has the potential to deliver an important solution to the circular economy. Working in cooperation with Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), LyondellBasell is exploring ways to develop a new cost-efficient catalyst and process technology to convert post-consumer plastic waste, such as packaging, into feedstock for reuse in polymerization processes. The added advantage of chemical recycling is the ability to manage mixed composition and multilayer plastic materials which cannot be easily recovered by mechanical recycling. Although we are cautious to announce exactly when we expect to achieve economically viability, this is the clear focus of this development program.

Could you describe some of your initiatives at the industry associations level?

LyondellBasell is co-founder and I currently chair the World Plastics council, a global forum engaged in initiatives such as the World Ocean Summit and the UN Ocean Conference to develop effective solutions to marine litter. We also hold leadership positions on the boards of key European industry associations such as Cefic and PlasticsEurope. These roles allow us to advance a comprehensive global strategy of innovation and investment in waste management and education.

LyondellBasell is also active in other associations such as UIC (France), VCI (Germany), the recycling consortia Corepla (Italy) and Cicloplast (Spain). Our company also supports PlasticsEurope’s ‘Plastics 2030’ voluntary commitment to ensure high rates of re-use and recycling, with the goal of reaching 60% for plastic packaging by 2030 and the ultimately 100% re-use, recycling or recovery of all plastic packaging in 2040.