Reliance turns plastic waste into high-quality materials for new plastic

The company is collaborating with reliable partners to boost the production of this oil and convert the yield into circular polymers.

New Delhi: Reliance Industries Ltd, the world’s largest integrated oil refining and petrochemical complex operator, announced on Friday that it is the first Indian company to chemically recycle plastic waste into high-quality materials for new plastics.

Reliance is leading the way in India’s circular economy by becoming the first to chemically recycle plastic waste-based pyrolysis oil into ISCC-Plus certified circular polymers, aiming to reduce plastic waste. The company stated that chemical recycling transforms plastic waste into high-quality materials for new plastics, suitable even for food-contact packaging.

The firm has pioneered a technology converting various types of plastic waste, including single-use and multi-layered plastics, into pyrolysis oil. Collaborating with trusted partners, Reliance aims to boost this oil production and convert it into circular polymers.

At its Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat, the company now processes chemically recycled pyrolysis oil to produce ISCC-Plus certified circular polymers – CircuRepol (Polypropylene) and CircuRelene (Polyethylene).

Chemical recycling represents an innovative solution where non-mechanically recyclable plastic waste is converted into pyrolysis oil through polymer chain cracking. While most current pyrolysis processes are thermally based resulting in lower yield and quality of oil, Reliance has developed continuous catalytic pyrolysis technology providing high yields of superior quality pyrolysis oil from plastic waste.

The unit can process up to 600 tonnes per month of chemically recycled pyrolysis oil from waste plastic. To ensure consistent quality as per its specifications, Reliance is transforming existing pyrolysis producers into reliable vendors.

Adopting a comprehensive approach towards sustainability initiatives like PET recycling and end-of-life plastics recycling for road construction along with producing circular polymers; Reliance recycles 5 billion post-consumer PET bottles annually. By 2030 they aim at reaching an overall capacity of 1 million tonnes across all their sustainability initiatives.

Having shipped its first batch of ISCC-Plus-certified circular polymers – CircuRepol (polypropylene) and CircuRelene (polyethylene), Reliance is making a positive environmental impact by recycling plastic waste into special Circular Polymers.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its innovative methods like chemical recycling, promoting a circular economy. They believe in smart solutions for reducing plastic waste and encourage others to join their journey towards a greener future.

CircuRepol and CircuRelene are designed to pioneer circular economy practices. RIL’s Jamnagar refinery was the first to receive the significant ISCC-Plus certification, validating its ability to produce circular polymers through chemical recycling.

The ISCC-Plus certification ensures traceability and adherence to rules in producing circular polymers.

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