As conversations around sustainability grow, terms like “chemical recycling” are increasingly common in industry and environmental spheres. Unfortunately, the term has been inappropriately usurped by the plastics industry. The plastics industry has recently made use of the term chemical recycling to refer to what is actually a “plastics to chemicals” process. In this process, plastic (also known as a polymer) wastes are broken down waste at the molecular level to produce chemical raw materials. However, this narrow interpretation overlooks the more appropriate use to mean the legitimate reuse, recovery, and recycling of various industrial chemicals. Altiras Chemicals and the US chemical recycling industry advocate for redefining chemical recycling a more appropriate use of the term.
In this way, and we suggest processes that turn plastics back into chemical raw materials should be referred to as “plastics to chemicals” processes. This new term differentiates the new plastic recycling technology from traditional plastic recycling processes that only melt or re-form the plastic into other shapes. However, chemical recycling should encompass the reuse and repurposing of products with relatively short molecular sizes. This would generally represent products with molecular weights below 500 grams per mole. It should also include both carbon-based molecules (organic chemicals) and other non-carbon-based molecules.
Rethinking the Boundaries of Chemical Recycling
In today’s industrial landscape, focusing solely on plastic waste limits the impact that genuine chemical recycling could have on sustainability efforts. By correcting the term to refer to those non-polymeric chemicals, chemical recycling can be better utilized to address diverse environmental challenges, especially in sectors that handle large volumes of hazardous or complex waste. Industrial waste chemicals, for instance, offer significant recycling opportunities through processes that chemically transform these substances into useful raw materials for various applications. While we fully support, root for, and admire those companies engaged in plastics-to-chemicals technologies, we believe the misapplication of the term chemical recycling is damaging to the industry.
Altiras Chemicals is at the forefront of this shift. By redefining chemically recycling to go beyond the plastic industry usurpation of the term, we hope for better verbal precision and contextual accuracy in the recycling industry.
Chemical Recycling vs. Traditional Waste Management
Unlike traditional waste disposal or mechanical recycling, chemical recycling transforms waste at a molecular level, giving it a new purpose. For industrial chemicals, this approach is particularly beneficial. Waste solvents, acids, bases, and by-products should be used or repurposed in the most efficient way. Many processes require energy-intensive recycling processes, but can produce components for multiple purposes.
By viewing chemical recycling as a broad-spectrum solution, Altiras Chemicals enables businesses to rethink their waste management strategies. Instead of treating chemical by-products as liabilities, companies can harness their value, reintegrating these chemicals into their supply chains.
Why Chemical Recycling Matters for Industrial Waste
Resource Efficiency and Waste Minimization
Chemical recycling addresses two critical sustainability goals: resource efficiency and waste minimization. When industrial waste is recycled chemically, companies reduce the need for raw material extraction, thereby conserving natural resources. Additionally, by minimizing the waste that goes to landfills or incineration facilities, chemical recycling lowers the environmental footprint of production processes. For industries managing high volumes of waste, this approach offers substantial economic and ecological benefits.
Enabling a Circular Economy for Chemicals
A key component of the circular economy is ensuring that materials continuously cycle back into productive use rather than being discarded. For industrial chemicals, achieving this cycle requires more than just reuse; it involves chemical transformation to adapt waste to new applications. Chemical recycling provides the means to close this loop. By creating raw feedstock from chemical waste, Altiras Chemicals supports the circular economy model, allowing companies to reclaim value from waste that would otherwise be costly to manage or dispose of.
Broader Applications of Chemical Recycling in Industry
Beyond Plastics: A Holistic View of Recycling
Plastics to chemicals processes are essential for the future of plastic waste. However, calling such a process “chemical recycling” limits the scope of what chemical recycling can achieve. Industrial chemicals, often comprising complex compounds, represent a critical area where recycling can make a profound impact. Altiras Chemicals advocates redefining chemical recycling to all types of materials known currently as chemicals. By redefining chemical recycling, the industry will achieve greater sustainability.
Diverse Industrial Use Cases
Industries from petrochemicals to agriculture generate substantial amounts of chemical waste, each with unique recycling requirements. By chemically altering these substances, Altiras Chemicals enables these waste streams to become feedstock for other applications. For example, waste from petrochemical processes can be transformed into blend stocks, offering an innovative approach to waste management.
Embracing a New Standard for Chemical Recycling
Altiras Chemicals proposes a redefined standard for chemical recycling that excludes the plastics to chemicals process. This approach aligns with sustainable practices and enhances the economic viability of waste management strategies. Companies that adopt this model will benefit from cost savings, reduced environmental impact, and a reputation for innovation in sustainability.
Conclusion: The Future of Chemical Recycling
The notion of chemical recycling should not be constrained to plastics alone. Altiras Chemicals believes that by broadening this term, industries can unlock new possibilities for waste management and sustainability. Chemical recycling, when applied to industrial chemicals, opens pathways for creating valuable resources from waste. Adopting this broader definition allows industries to maximize the potential of chemical recycling. This supports a sustainable future where waste transforms into opportunity across all sectors, not just plastic manufacturing.