- The plant will deliver recycled hydrocarbon products by 2024.
- The site has a capacity of 20ktpa, with potential to triple.
- The project received £4.42 million from Innovate UK.
- HydroPRS™ uses supercritical water to recycle 'unrecyclable' plastics.
Plant Launch and Capabilities
Mura Technology has opened the world’s first commercial-scale HydroPRS™ advanced plastic recycling plant in Teesside, UK. The facility will process flexible and rigid mixed plastics, including films considered ‘unrecyclable’. The site has an initial capacity to produce 20ktpa of recycled liquid hydrocarbon products, with potential to expand to over three times this size.
Key Figures and Attendees
Key industry figures attended the launch, including Marco ten Bruggencate from Dow, Benny Mermans from Chevron Phillips Chemical, and Jinsuk Kim from LG Chem Europe. Doug Kelly from KBR and Dr. Paul Davidson from UK Research & Innovation also participated.
Economic and Environmental Impact
The Teesside site will create up to 50 direct jobs and approximately 250 jobs during the build and commissioning phases and in related infrastructure. Independent Life Cycle Assessments have shown the HydroPRS™ process provides an 80% carbon emissions saving by diverting ‘unrecyclable’ plastic from incineration.
Technology and Process
The HydroPRS™ process uses supercritical water to convert post-consumer plastics into stable, premium hydrocarbon feedstocks. This method allows for the recycling of materials that are typically considered ‘unrecyclable’ and can be recycled multiple times, significantly reducing single-use plastics.
Funding and Future Plans
The project received £4.42 million from Innovate UK. Mura has secured investments from companies like KBR, Dow, CPChem, and LG Chem, and plans to scale worldwide with sites in the USA and Germany. Partnerships with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, LG Chem, and GS Caltex Corporation will support the development of HydroPRS™ facilities in Japan and South Korea.
