
Image courtesy of Clariter
Global cleantech company Clariter, Luxembourg, and Houston-based Summit Midstream Partners have announced a collaboration in which Summit will join Clariter’s range of strategic partners and investors. The companies say Summit’s investment is a vote of confidence in Clariter’s proprietary technology, which aims to tackle the global effects of plastic pollution through the production of sustainable high-value industrial products made entirely from plastic scrap.
Leveraging Summit’s expertise in midstream energy infrastructure, the two companies will cooperate as Clariter continues to advance its strategy to build commercial scale plants in the United States. As part of the collaboration, Summit will contribute to addressing energy, hydrogen and water infrastructure needs as well as support with the siting, development and construction of Clariter’s commercial scale plants.
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The companies say 400 million tons of new plastic are produced annually, and that number is expected to double by 2050. They add that of all the plastic manufactured, 70 percent is used only once, of which only 9 percent is recycled. The rest is either discarded in landfills or incinerated, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere.
Clariter says it has developed a chemical upcycling technology that complements other traditional mechanical recycling methods. The company’s patented technology can treat most plastic scrap types—including polyethylene, polypropylene and some polystyrene—and convert plastics into ready-to-use, pure products such as waxes, oils and solvents, displacing fossil fuel-based alternatives.
Clariter adds that its high-quality, sustainably produced products have the potential to reduce the world’s dependency on crude oil, and meet industry standards for purity, are food-contact grade and meet or exceed the benchmarks of their fossil fuel-based equivalents.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Clariter to support the development of its innovative chemical recycling plants in the United States,” says Summit Chief Executive Officer Heath Deneke. “In addition to the opportunity to make a positive environmental impact domestically and abroad, the cooperation aligns with Summit’s ambitions to utilize our expertise in developing and operating infrastructure to help support energy transition in the United States.”
Clariter CEO Ran Sharon says, “Cleaning the world of plastic pollution and reducing dependency on crude oil underpin Clariter’s corporate vision. Our unique technology converts plastic waste into high-quality end products for everyday use. Such innovative technologies have an important role to play in the global movement towards sustainability, circularity and ultimately a net-zero carbon future. We believe that Summit’s joining our visionary strategy is a win-win for both companies—together we will make significant strides towards cleaning the world of plastic pollution.”
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