Largest waste sorting plant of plastics for chemical recycling in Europe - construction started!

On 20 November 2023, just 20 days after announcing the formation of the collaboration, OMV, an integrated energy, fuels and raw materials, chemicals and materials company based in Vienna, and Interzero, Europe's leading provider of closed-loop solutions, today celebrated the laying of the foundation stone for an innovative plastic waste sorting plant for chemical recycling in Walldürn, Baden-Württemberg. 

Invited guests included personalities from both the national and regional policy spheres, as well as partners involved in the project. All event participants emphasised the positive effects of the project, both for the local community and for Europe. The initiative has created 120 new jobs, the development of modern recycling technology and an investment from OMV of more than €170 million. Chemical recycling is a key technology of the future that, alongside traditional mechanical recycling, can significantly increase the reuse rate of plastics while protecting valuable raw materials from incineration.

"This project marks the beginning of a new era in plastics recycling. In cooperation with our partner OMV, we are using an innovative recycling process we have developed to give a second life to plastics that are currently incinerated through chemical recycling. I am convinced that with chemical recycling, the recycling rate in Germany will be able to increase significantly in the future. This brings us another big step closer to our vision of a world without waste.", said Axel Schewitzer, President and Owner of Interzero.

This Innovative, state-of-the-art waste sorting plant developed by Interzero and OMV will be capable of processing 260,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste per year.

The entire press release can be read HERE