23 October 2019

REMONDIS and Neste into partnership to develop chemical recycling of plastic waste

Published in Releases and news

Neste Corporation, Press Release, 23 October 2019 at 2 p.m. (EET)

Neste, the world’s leading provider of renewable diesel, renewable jet fuel, and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, and REMONDIS, one of the world's largest privately owned recycling, service and water companies, have signed an agreement to collaborate in the development of chemical recycling of plastic waste. The companies will focus on developing and accelerating chemical recycling with a target to reach an annual capacity to process over 200 kilotons of waste plastic.

Mechanical recycling of plastics has been making a positive contribution to circular economy, raw material security, and climate protection for decades. Through joining forces, REMONDIS and Neste combine REMONDIS’s waste collecting and sorting capabilities and Neste’s experience and know-how in oil refining and processing of low-quality waste and residue materials. The companies wish to build an ecosystem around chemical recycling to enable other companies in the value chain to join the initiative and complement mechanical recycling by closing the material circle also for those plastics that today are difficult or impossible to recycle. 

Chemical recycling of plastics breaks down plastic waste into a raw material for the plastics and chemicals industries to use in the production of new high-quality plastics, chemicals and fuels.

“In order to establish chemical recycling of plastics at an industrial scale, it is necessary that the recycling industry and the chemical industry work closely together. The partnership between REMONDIS and Neste will focus on creating an optimal recycling process to make even more plastics circular,” emphasizes Jürgen Ephan, Managing Director, REMONDIS Recycling.

“We are driven by our purpose of creating a healthier planet for our children. With REMONDIS among our sustainability-oriented value chain partners, we can build a chemical recycling solution to truly expand the possibilities of recycling those materials we cannot recycle today. Chemical recycling will enable us to circulate carbon in society over and over again and reduce crude oil dependence, which is one of Neste’s key targets as a sustainability leader in our industry. Collaboration between REMONDIS and Neste will bring us one step closer to fulfilling our commitment to process annually more than one million tons of waste plastic from 2030 onwards,'' says Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals, Neste.

The cooperation between REMONDIS and Neste is a step towards innovation and investments that are necessary to prepare the recycling industry for the future. We need new capacities, technologies and supportive legislative framework to meet the EU’s ambitious recycling targets. Chemical recycling will be critical for reaching these targets. 

Neste Corporation

Susanna Sieppi
Vice President, Communications (act.)

Further information:

Neste:

Heikki Färkkilä, Vice President, Chemical Recycling, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals. Please contact Neste’s media service, tel. +358 50 458 5076 / media@neste.com (weekdays from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. EET).

Replacing crude oil with waste plastics

Neste’s circular plastics solutions

REMONDIS SE & Co. KG:

Michael J. Schneider, Press Spokesperson / Manager Press & Public Relations, tel.: +49(0)2306/106-515, email: michael.schneider@remondis.de

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates sustainable solutions for transport, business, and consumer needs. Our wide range of renewable products enable our customers to reduce climate emissions. We are the world's largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, introducing renewable solutions also to the aviation and plastics industries. We are also a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products. We want to be a reliable partner with widely valued expertise, research, and sustainable operations. In 2018, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 14.9 billion. In 2019, Neste placed 3rd on the Global 100 list of the most sustainable companies in the world. Read more: neste.com

Remondis SE & Co. KG

REMONDIS is one of the world's largest privately owned recycling, service and water companies and provides services to around 30 million people. Via its branches and associated companies, REMONDIS operates across four continents including 24 European countries, China, India, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Australia. Founded in 1934, this family-run business has a workforce of more than 36,000 employees and an annual turnover of 7.9 billion euros (2018). REMONDIS focuses on developing partnerships to implement novel and forward-looking concepts and ideas to help conserve our raw material and water supplies for future generations. www.remondis.de