The chemical treatment method developed by Environment Energy promises to transform plastic waste into crude oil with high efficiency and flexibility.
Despite being renowned for its cleanliness and efficiency, Japan generates nearly 40 kilograms of single-use plastic waste per person each year, one of the highest rates in the world. This challenge has prompted the Japanese to seek new solutions for waste management. The Japanese company Environment Energy is planning to open a commercial plant by 2025, contributing to the revolution in plastic waste recycling. The company’s advanced method, named HICOP (High-Performance Oil Production), is expected to convert plastic waste into crude oil, capable of processing 20,000 tons of plastic waste annually, according to Interesting Engineering.
Chemical recycling offers many advantages for processing plastic waste compared to mechanical recycling. (Photo: iStock).
According to Environment Energy’s CEO, Suji Noda, the HICOP process utilizes catalytic cracking, a method used in oil refining to break down plastic molecules at temperatures of up to 450 degrees Celsius. This approach provides several advantages over conventional recycling methods. It is safer than pyrolysis, a technology that employs extremely high temperatures to decompose plastics. HICOP produces high-quality oil consisting of 50% gasoline and 50% diesel, capable of processing about 120 tons of waste per month with minimal downtime. The resulting oil can be used as fuel, for heating homes, or as raw materials for producing new plastics.
The HICOP method marks a significant advancement towards chemical recycling. Unlike mechanical recycling, which requires shredding and reusing plastics, chemical recycling breaks materials down into multiple components, allowing for more diverse applications and producing higher quality products. The process begins with catalysts adhering to the plastic surface, breaking the material down into smaller pieces, ultimately converting them into hydrocarbon gas. These gases are then condensed into crude oil. The use of catalysts makes the reaction milder compared to pyrolysis, enhancing safety and efficiency.
One of the most promising aspects of HICOP is its flexibility. This system can process mixed plastic waste, including PVC, with extremely low contamination. This advantage is crucial in practical applications, as sorting plastic waste is often a significant challenge.
Mechanical recycling still accounts for a large proportion (over 20%) of plastic waste management in Japan today. This method involves sorting, cleaning, and shredding plastic waste, but requires clean inputs and results in low-quality products with strong odors and unattractive colors. Chemical processing methods like HICOP only account for 4% of plastic waste treatment in Japan. Environment Energy sees this as an opportunity for significant growth. HICOP could meet a substantial portion of Japan’s plastic waste treatment needs through more efficient and flexible solutions.
