Evonik is strengthening the circular economy by developing advanced solutions that improve the chemical recycling of plastics. Through specialized catalysts, adsorbents, and modular purification systems, the company helps producers enhance the quality of pyrolysis oil—a critical feedstock for manufacturing new plastics from waste materials. As demand for sustainable plastic recycling grows worldwide, Evonik’s technologies are enabling the industry to convert difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into valuable raw materials while reducing dependence on fossil resources.
Chemical Recycling Unlocks Value from Plastic Waste
Chemical recycling is emerging as an important complement to traditional recycling methods. In the pyrolysis process, mixed and contaminated plastic waste is heated at high temperatures in an oxygen-free environment, breaking it down into its chemical building blocks. The resulting pyrolysis oil can partially replace conventional fossil-based feedstocks such as naphtha in steam crackers. These facilities then convert the oil into essential petrochemical building blocks, including ethylene and propylene, which serve as the foundation for manufacturing new plastics. However, the quality of pyrolysis oil remains a critical factor in its successful integration into petrochemical production.
Addressing Impurities for High-Quality Feedstocks
Pyrolysis oil often contains contaminants such as chlorine, nitrogen, and silicon that can negatively impact the performance, efficiency, and operational safety of steam crackers. “Cracker operators apply strict quality standards to the feedstocks they use,” explains Hendrick Rasch, responsible for Circular Packaging and Plastics Recycling within Evonik’s Next Markets Program. “This is precisely where our products come in. They help to significantly improve the quality of pyrolysis oil,” Rasch added. Recognizing this challenge early, Evonik began developing purification technologies several years ago by leveraging its extensive expertise in petrochemical processing and feedstock treatment.
Advanced Adsorbents Improve Pyrolysis Oil Quality
To address contamination issues, Evonik offers its Purocel™ portfolio of high-performance adsorbents specifically designed for pyrolysis oil purification. Among the most notable innovations is Purocel™ 505, which combines catalytic dechlorination with adsorption in a single solution. The technology first separates chlorine atoms from larger hydrocarbon molecules through a catalytic reaction and subsequently captures the resulting hydrogen chloride. As a result, Purocel™ 505 can remove up to three times more chlorides from pyrolysis oil compared with conventional purification technologies, significantly enhancing feedstock quality for downstream processing.
Combining Hydrotreating and Recycling for Greater Efficiency
For applications requiring even higher purity levels, Evonik complements adsorption technology with hydrotreating processes. During hydrotreating, hydrogen reacts with residual contaminants, converting them into volatile compounds that can be easily removed. To further improve resource efficiency and sustainability, Evonik utilizes recycled Purocel H catalysts within these purification systems. This integrated approach enables producers to meet increasingly stringent quality specifications while supporting circular resource use.
Modular Solutions Simplify Plant Integration
Beyond catalysts and adsorbents, Evonik also provides modular purification systems that can be seamlessly integrated into existing industrial facilities. Through its Rocket Technology platform, the company supplies pre-engineered column modules containing advanced adsorbents such as Purocel™ 510. These compact units can be connected directly to pyrolysis plants or steam crackers, allowing operators to improve feedstock quality without major capital investments or extended plant shutdowns. Consequently, manufacturers can adopt chemical recycling technologies more rapidly and cost-effectively.
Chemical Recycling Gains Momentum Worldwide
The global market for chemical recycling continues to expand, supported by growing regulatory pressure, sustainability targets, and the need to reduce plastic waste. While mechanical recycling remains highly effective for clean and homogeneous plastic streams such as PET bottles, a substantial portion of plastic waste consists of mixed or contaminated materials that are difficult to process mechanically. Chemical recycling offers a viable pathway for recovering value from these challenging waste streams. As a result, interest in advanced pyrolysis and purification technologies is accelerating across the plastics and petrochemical sectors.
Supporting a Sustainable and Resilient Plastics Industry
Evonik positions itself as a technology and system partner for the evolving chemical recycling industry, offering scalable solutions for operations ranging from small pyrolysis facilities to large petrochemical complexes. “Our solutions demonstrate how technological innovation can advance the circular economy,” says Rasch. “We are convinced that chemical recycling is a key pillar of a sustainable plastics economy,” Rasch mentioned. As per the press release, improving the utilization of pyrolysis oil, Evonik’s technologies help reduce reliance on fossil feedstocks, lower environmental impact, enhance supply security, and support the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient plastics value chain.
