LyondellBasell joins NextLoopp initiative

LyondellBasell, a chemicals and refining company based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, has joined an initiative that brings more than 40 major industry players together. NextLoopp aims to create circular food-grade recycled polypropylene (PP) from postconsumer packaging.  

“To unlock the full value of plastics, critical gaps must be addressed so these valuable resources can be circulated back into the economy after use,” says Richard Roudeix, a regional senior vice president of olefins and polyolefins at LyondellBasell.

“The development of innovative, new solutions and the increase of recycling rates is key to addressing plastic waste and climate change. In the area of postconsumer polypropylene for food packaging, we are eager to join and support the research of the NextLoopp project, together with other industry players, to help find new solutions,” Roudeix adds.  

NextLoopp says PP is the most widely used plastic in food packaging. NextLoopp can close the loop on PP by using a combination of technologies, developed by United Kingdom-based Nextek Ltd. It does this by separating food-grade PP from the rest and by decontaminating the polymer to ensure compliance with food-grade standards in the U.K., EU and the U.S.

Following the results of its tracer-based sorting trials, Nextek Ltd. recently started production trials of food-grade compliant recycled PP. This makes more than 60 products from NextLoopp's four grades of PPristine food compliant and INRT recycled PP grade resins.

“We are delighted to welcome LyondellBasell to our project,” says Edward Kosior, founder and CEO of Nextek Ltd. and NextLoopp. “As we continue to build momentum LyondellBasell’s expertise in delivering technologies that advance solutions to our world’s biggest challenges will be key.”