Neste Advances Liquefied Waste Plastic Processing at Porvoo Refinery
- Processed 3,000 tons of liquefied waste plastic since 2020
- Aims to process 400,000 tons annually by 2030
- EU Innovation Fund supports project PULSE
- Partners include Alterra Energy and Wastewise
Industrial-Scale Processing Runs
Neste has completed its second series of industrial-scale processing runs with liquefied waste plastic at its Porvoo refinery in Finland. These runs aim to enhance understanding of how various waste plastics behave during chemical recycling. The end product, Neste RE™, is used by partners to create new plastics.
Progress and Achievements
Since the first run in 2020, Neste has conducted six successful runs, processing nearly 3,000 tons of liquefied waste plastic. The first series in 2022 processed 800 tons, and the amount has more than tripled since then. These efforts are part of Neste’s strategy to advance chemical recycling and support a circular polymers economy.
Future Plans
Neste plans to build capacities at its Porvoo site to process 400,000 tons of liquefied waste plastic annually through project PULSE, funded by the EU Innovation Fund. By 2030, the goal is to process over 1 million tons per year. This initiative is crucial for transitioning the Porvoo refinery into a renewable and circular solutions site, potentially ending crude oil refining by the mid-2030s.
Supply Network
The liquefied waste plastic for these runs is sourced from multiple suppliers, including US-based Alterra Energy and Finland-based Wastewise. Neste has expanded its supply network to support these efforts, including chemically recycling cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) waste from pipe production into new PEX pipes.