23. May 2025
Construction milestone: delivery of large tanks for chemical recycling plant
The construction of LyondellBasell's (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) large-scale chemical recycling plant in Wesseling (Germany) has reached another milestone.
Recently, two large tanks that will be used to store pyrolysis oil – a raw material obtained from plastic waste that is difficult to recycle – will be delivered in two complex heavy goods transports.
The transports will take place after 10 pm in order to minimise disruption to regular road traffic. Each of the tanks measures 9 metres in height, 5.4 metres in width and holds 260,000 litres. The total vehicle length including trailer is an impressive 63 metres and the weight of a container is around 140 tonnes. The transport operations were carefully prepared in close consultation with the relevant authorities, traffic planners and the police.
“With the new MoReTec chemical recycling plant, we are making a decisive contribution to achieving our goal of producing two million tonnes of plastics from renewable and recycled sources every year by 2030”, explains Daniel Koch, Plant Manager of the LyondellBasell sites in Wesseling-Knapsack. “The project is an important step on the way to a functioning circular economy for plastics – with benefits for the environment, industry and society.”
The recycling technology used in Wesseling was developed by LyondellBasell itself. The plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2026 and will convert processed mixed plastics back into their molecular form. The resulting pyrolysis oil will serve as a raw material for the production of new, high-quality plastic products – including food packaging.
LyondellBasell received a grant totalling EUR 40 million from the European Union's Innovation Fund for the construction of the plant. AT
www.lyondellbasell.com
The transports will take place after 10 pm in order to minimise disruption to regular road traffic. Each of the tanks measures 9 metres in height, 5.4 metres in width and holds 260,000 litres. The total vehicle length including trailer is an impressive 63 metres and the weight of a container is around 140 tonnes. The transport operations were carefully prepared in close consultation with the relevant authorities, traffic planners and the police.
“With the new MoReTec chemical recycling plant, we are making a decisive contribution to achieving our goal of producing two million tonnes of plastics from renewable and recycled sources every year by 2030”, explains Daniel Koch, Plant Manager of the LyondellBasell sites in Wesseling-Knapsack. “The project is an important step on the way to a functioning circular economy for plastics – with benefits for the environment, industry and society.”
The recycling technology used in Wesseling was developed by LyondellBasell itself. The plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2026 and will convert processed mixed plastics back into their molecular form. The resulting pyrolysis oil will serve as a raw material for the production of new, high-quality plastic products – including food packaging.
LyondellBasell received a grant totalling EUR 40 million from the European Union's Innovation Fund for the construction of the plant. AT
www.lyondellbasell.com