Indaver and INEOS Styrolution sign offtake agreement for recycled styrene monomer

Indaver’s depolymerisation plant to be the first of its kind in Europe
From yoghurt pot to yoghurt pot - agreement closes the loop for polystyrene

Indaver, a leading player in the European waste industry, and INEOS Styrolution, the global leader in styrenics, have signed an offtake agreement today giving INEOS Styrolution access to styrene monomer (“SM”) produced from post-consumer waste at Indaver’s planned depolymerisation plant.

This agreement closes the loop towards a circular economy for polystyrene. It will enable INEOS Styrolution to produce polystyrene from recycled feedstock replacing styrene monomer produced from fossil feedstock.

“The benefits are tremendous”, explains Dr. Alexander Glück., President EMEA at INEOS Styrolution. “We recognize plastics waste as a valuable resource that must not end up in landfill or be incinerated. Together with Indaver we reduce waste, we produce polystyrene with identical properties as the virgin material with a lower CO₂ footprint and we reduce the use of fossil feedstock.”

With the recycled polystyrene meeting stringent food grade specifications, an old dream has finally come true: The material that has been used to preserve food can be recycled and used for the same purpose again.

“We are very pleased with this agreement”, says Paul de Bruycker, CEO at Indaver. “Our companies share the same vision of a true circular economy for polystyrene. The material is eminently suitable to allow for depolymerisation, an advanced recycling method that we deploy in our new recycling plant.”

The depolymerisation technology allows to recycle polystyrene by converting it back into its building block, styrene monomer. Thanks to this process, the recycled material can meet the strict food contact standards. This significantly expands the possibilities for recycling, including polystyrene waste that could previously only be used for conversion into low-value applications.

Being a strong player in the waste industry, Indaver is well positioned to create and manage the required waste streams for polystyrene. The company’s new plant will be based in Antwerp, Belgium and start production in 2024.

About Indaver
Indaver is a European player in the waste industry with plants and operations in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Indaver manages and treats industrial and household waste in specialist facilities for the industry, waste collectors and governments. Indaver recovers valuable raw materials and energy from these treated waste streams. By doing so, Indaver is creating value from waste and helping to close the materials loop in a safe, low carbon and energy-efficient manner, which makes Indaver the ideal partner in the pursuit of a sustainable circular economy. In 2020, Indaver achieved a turnover of 600 million euros with approximately 1,900 staff throughout Europe.
More information: www.indaver.com or www.indaver.com/plasticstochemicals

Follow us on Twitter (@Indaverbe) and Linkedin (@Indavergroup)

www.indaver.com/plastics2chemicals

About INEOS Styrolution
INEOS Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering solutions, designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. At the same time, these innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure. In 2021, sales were at 6 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,600 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.

More information: www.ineos-styrolution.com

Visit us at K fair in Düsseldorf, October 19-26, 2022: hall 6 / booth 6D28.

Contact at INDAVER

Inge Baertsoen

Communications Manager

Indaver nv

Dijle 17a

2800 Mechelen

Belgium

+32 497 970 570

inge.baertsoen [@] indaver.com

www.indaver.com