Transforming waste into valuable raw materials – OMV and Interzero will build the largest chemical recycling sorting plant in Europe!
OMV, an energy, fuels and raw materials, chemicals and materials company based in Vienna, announced an investment decision to build an innovative sorting plant developed by Interzero * to produce raw materials for chemical recycling.
In total, OMV will invest over EUR 170 million in the construction of this state-of-the-art facility in Walldürn in southern Germany. OMV will hold 89.9 percent of the joint venture and 10.1 percent of the shares will be held by Interzero.
Production at the new plant is expected to start in 2026. The new plant will create approximately 120 new jobs. The cornerstone laying ceremony is scheduled for November 20, 2023, when guests from the world of politics are expected.
The sorting plant will be the first sorting plant of its kind producing raw materials for OMV chemical recycling on a large industrial scale. ReOil® technology developed and patented by OMV is a chemical recycling innovation that converts plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled into pyrolysis oil – a valuable raw material. The input to the sorting plant generally consists of a mixture of plastics that have not been suitable for recycling until now, especially those separately collected from the yellow bag and yellow bin recycling system in Germany.
Interzero operates five light packaging sorting plants in Germany and sorts approximately one third of Germany’s light packaging waste, amounting to over 800,000 tonnes per year. This means that the company currently has the largest sorting capacity in Europe and is a technology leader.
The collaboration between OMV and Interzero will ensure a supply of sustainable and high-quality raw materials for OMV’s chemical recycling, helping to close the plastic loop. The innovative, state-of-the-art sorting plant created by Interzero will be capable of processing 260,000 tons of mixed plastic waste per year, providing raw material for the production of primary polyolefins. This innovative sorting process will enable the recovery of a polyolefin-rich fraction from the waste stream that currently goes to thermal recycling. When it comes to the waste hierarchy, the focus is on plastic waste that is not suitable for mechanical recycling. Thanks to this, chemical recycling will not compete with mechanical recycling.
*Acting as ALBA Recycling in the sorting plant
Please read the press release in English HERE
