Recent developments
Circular polymers advance
OEM adoption accelerated: Google’s Pixel 10 uses Toray’s chemically recycled PBT resin, Honda’s N-ONE e: debuts recycled PMMA door visors, CUPRA’s Tindaya showcases Toray’s Ultrasuede nu material, and Trinseo updated ISO 14021 validation for ALTUGLAS R-Life acrylic based on recycled MMA. Upstream, Braskem readies K 2025 with its I’m green bio-based polyethylene and recycled Wenew portfolio, signaling broader portfolio decarbonization. Beyond plastics, brands are replacing films with paper barriers as Walkers Chocolates shifts to recyclable paper-based packaging for Walkers Chocolates, maintaining line speeds while meeting CEPI/4EG recyclability criteria.
Waste-to-fuels scale-up
Conversion of residues into fuels and feedstocks advanced. In the UK, Altalto’s SAF project selected NX Circular gasification and NX CPO to transform MSW into SynCrude, targeting 30 million liters/year by 2030. Gunvor secured supply of pyrolysis oil produced from waste tires to decarbonize refinery feeds, while PureCycle validated recycled-PP performance with PureFive resin in biaxially oriented polypropylene film. Metals loops also tightened as Aurubis’ Complex Recycling Hamburg program expands processing of complex recyclates, supporting EU CRMA objectives.
Traceability and certification
Supply-chain integrity and mass-balance adoption gathered pace. Mitsubishi Chemical implemented Circularise’s Product Traceability Platform to centralize mass balance credit management ahead of ISCC PLUS-based commercialization. BASF achieved REDcert² certification across Performance Materials sites, enabling ChemCycling and biomass-balance attribution at scale. Formulators saw drop-in options as LANXESS launched the Vulkanox HS Scopeblue rubber additive with >30% lower CO2 via bio-circular inputs. Corporate reporting reinforced momentum: Momentive’s 2024 Sustainability Report cited 79% of new product sales with sustainability gains, while Mitsui Chemicals was selected for all six GPIF ESG indices, signaling investor confidence in circular strategies.
Electrification and catalysts
Process decarbonization converged with catalyst capability building. Clariant will equip the world’s largest electric steam methane reformer (10 MW e-heating, 150 t/d syngas) for SYPOX, compressing footprint and abating CO2 versus fired SMR. Complementing this, Technip Energies agreed to acquire Ecovyst’s Advanced Materials & Catalysts business, bolstering zeolites and silicas for integrated solutions in circular chemistry, CCUS, and sustainable fuels—aligning hardware, catalysis, and licensing to accelerate low-carbon value chains.
Restructuring and bio-based scale-up
Structural moves targeted competitiveness and green growth. Japan’s polyolefins consolidate as Mitsui, Idemitsu, and Sumitomo move to integrate PP and LLDPE businesses into Prime Polymer, unlocking scale for cost and circular-technology deployment. In biobased intermediates, funding will enable Mevaldi to scale 3MPD via hybrid bio-thermocatalysis for next-gen polyesters and polyurethanes. Adjacent consumer chemistries advanced too: BENEO showed faba bean protein concentrate can replace ABP in wet pet food, and Croda launched the biotech-based neuroactive ingredient Zenakine, both aligning with biodegradability and bio-based sourcing trends.
Circular water infrastructure
Industrial utilities embraced circularity at cluster scale. In Jubail, Veolia and partners will deliver the largest industrial wastewater reuse plant in the Middle East, integrating MBBR, membranes, and advanced clarification to recycle petrochemical effluents and pioneer spent-caustic treatment. The 8.8 million m³/year facility under a 30-year O&M model strengthens water resilience, reduces emissions intensity, and readies capacity for future entrants—an emerging blueprint for resource-efficiency in hydrocarbons-to-chemicals hubs.