Mitsubishi Chemicals Plans Construction of the First Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Technology (Hydro-PRT) Plant in Japan

In another step towards supporting a circular economy, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has taken a decision towards construction of its first hydrothermal plastic Recycling Technology (Hydro-PRT) plant in Japan.

The technology Hydro-PRT is known for recycling of single use plastics which would have to be incinerated, sent to land fill or which simply would leak into the environment and cause plastic pollution. The technology converts mixed plastics into oils and chemicals which would replace the fossil fuels. Apart from converting plastics back into oils and chemicals, Hydro-PRT enables plastics to be converted into new plastics and other products have wide application including as road materials.

Hydro-PRT is licensed by Mura Technologies which is a UK based company and KBR. As per the licensor’s claims the Hydro-PRT technology can recycle a plastic material to any number of times and has the ability to process variety of plastics which would be difficult to recycle using traditional methods. Mura and KBR signed the licensing agreement with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation in July for the Hydro-PRT process.

The proposed project will be located at Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation’s Ibaraki plant in Japan. The construction is expected to be completed by 2023 with a total recycling capacity of 20,000 tons per annum.

Japan generates around nine million tons of plastic waste yearly and MCC will be looking forward to targeting this waste plastic as raw material.