PureCycle Plastics Recycling Plants Will Be ‘Born Digital’

Summary

PureCycle Technologies is planning a network of global facilities to enable large-scale recycling of a common but rarely recycled plastic. It is being supported by advanced digital technologies and automation from Emerson Automation Solutions. Emerson’s Plantweb digital ecosystem was chosen for the breadth of digital solutions, including intelligent sensors and control valves, advanced operations software and systems, cloud data management, and analytics.

“Unlike traditional manufacturing facilities coping with transforming legacy platforms to digital, PureCycle’s progressive approach will enable all future facilities to be born digital,” said Dustin Olson, chief manufacturing officer of PureCycle Technologies. “With Emerson’s help, each PureCycle facility is expected to start up with the most advanced digital automation technologies available, allowing for faster project completion, fully integrated systems, and world-class operating performance.”

Polypropylene, identified as resin recycling code #5, is one of the world’s most versatile plastics produced. It is widely used around the world for food and cosmetics packaging, toys, automobile parts, and more. Despite more than 170 billion pounds being produced each year, less than 1% is reclaimed annually for recycling and reuse.

“PureCycle’s first-of-its-kind technology purifies waste plastic to remove color, odor, and other contaminants to create a near-virgin ultrapure recycled polypropylene suitable for nearly any application,” Olson said.

PureCycle Technologies holds a global license to commercialize the only patented solvent-based purification recycling technology, developed by The Procter & Gamble Company. Early last year, machine builder Koch Modular was awarded the design and construction contract for the new plastics recycling plant. Koch Modular had been working with PureCycle for more than three years on the development of the technology. Koch Modular designed and constructed the predecessor Phase I Feedstock Evaluation Unit, which delivered successful production at scale in 2019. Koch’s contract included the supply of a complete raw-material-in-finished-product-out process system, modularly constructed, in a controlled indoor environment, that was then shipped to the plant site via roadway.

This article was originally published in InTech's July/August issue.