05/02/2025

Companies Seek Definition of ‘Responsible' Chemical Recycling

Plastics News | Steve Toloken | May 1, 2025

Companies Seek Definition of ‘Responsible' Chemical Recycling

A group of plastics companies and consumer goods makers are developing responsible production standards for chemical recycling, hoping to address public questions about the environmental and social impacts of the technology.

The group of more than 10 companies unveiled its work at the recent Chemicals of Concern Policy Summit, including a white paper they developed outlining 22 performance metrics, including material traceability, environmental transparency and recognizing United Nations human rights and business principles.

The effort aims to develop what it calls "responsible production guidelines" for advanced, chemical and molecular recycling technologies, which broadly break down plastic waste to its chemical building blocks to be reused as new plastic.

"With increased interest in ACM recycling technologies as a solution to the plastic pollution crisis, careful attention is needed to continue exploring potential benefits and drawbacks," the white paper said.

Chris Layton, sustainability director for Eastman Chemical Co., told the summit that Eastman got involved with the guidelines because it heard "a lot of concerns" about the technologies.

"One, there was just confusion as to what these technologies are, and two, there are some very genuine concerns about what feedstocks are we using," he said. "What are the waste and emissions of these facilities, what are the yields, how are we impacting our communities?"

Specific operational standards are still being developed, said Victoria Norman, executive director of SCS Standards, an Emeryville. Calif.-based group coordinating the standards development.

"What it means, first and foremost, is that the waste hierarchy needs to be respected," she told the summit, held April 22-23 in Charlotte. "What it looks like exactly, we're still working out, so stay tuned for when we're ready to reveal a little bit more."

Some details, like the names of many of the companies participating, remain shrouded.

The effort started two years ago under the banner of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, which organized the Charlotte summit and describes itself as a neutral facilitator for complex conversations around plastics issues.

Beyond Eastman, OPLN identified packaging maker Berry Global as participating but said other companies had not given permission to be named.

In remarks at the summit, OPLN Founder Dave Ford said the group includes four petrochemical companies, a packaging manufacturer, four consumer product firms and two chemical recycling companies. It also got input from technical advisers and environmental groups.

"The stakeholder positions from consumer packaged goods companies are very different, and the business objectives are very different, from the petrochemical companies," Ford said. "It wasn't an easy effort to bring these groups together and it wasn't something that normally happens."

Layton said many other business and environmental groups have developed chemical recycling guidelines, outlining how it should be used and how it fits in with more traditional mechanical recycling.

But none of those got down to the operational level at plants, he said.

"What was missing was how to you operationalize this, and that's what I think the responsible production guidelines do," Layton said. "It begins to establish criteria that we as advanced, chemical and molecular recyclers can begin to be held accountable to."

He said he hoped the guidelines would provide more understanding of the technology to governments and create policy certainty that companies need to continue investing.

Layton also said the guidelines could be used by governments as they develop responsible end market standards for plastic waste, such as in the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and in extended producer responsibility laws that have passed seven U.S. states.

"As we begin to implement EPR throughout the United States and various places, there is a requirement of what is a responsible end market," he said. "These standards can also certainly, in spirit, provide guidance."