PureCycle Completes Plant in Ohio
Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, PureCycle Technologies Inc. has recently finalized construction of a polypropylene (PP) purification plant in Ironton, Ohio. The paperwork to formally certify the completion of the project has been submitted to Leidos Engineering LLC, who has acted as an independent monitor over the building process.
At the request of its bondholders, Leidos was commissioned by PureCycle to assess and endorse the project upon its conclusion. This certifying procedure is essential to fulfill key targets involved with procuring financing for the plant, according to the CEO of PureCycle, Dustin Olson, who released a statement to Recycling Today.
Having finished the necessary paperwork, in accordance with Leidos’ standards, the company is now waiting for its official certification.
PureCycle also newly announced that preparations for the facility in Ironton are moving forward. The organization is beginning operational pre-startup, conducting safety reviews, and getting ready for pellet production to commence.
According to PureCycle’s calculations, pellet production should occur in the second quarter of 2021, however, Olson acknowledges that, “It’s difficult to pinpoint specific [start] dates since there are so many moving parts. … But we are confident with where we are; we’re on track with the process we set in place.”
A Revolutionary Technology
PureCycle’s unique technology can completely eliminate pollutants, colors and other undesired odors from polypropylene (PP) scrap.
Also, when fully functioning, it has been reported that the Ironton facility will manufacture 107 million pounds of ultra-pure recycled (UPR) resin, annually. Therefore, “making high-quality recycled PP plastic more accessible at scale.”
“2023 will continue to be an exciting year for PureCycle as we kick off operations at our flagship facility in Ironton. Now that construction is complete, we can begin our ramp-up plan and start producing UPR pellets,” Olson stated. “We can’t wait to bring our sustainable, high-quality, no-compromise UPR resin to our customers and start to create a truly circular economy for plastics.”
A New Site in Georgia in Progress
PureCycle is also working diligently to construct a plant in Augusta, Georgia, as well. According to Olson, this will present the company with “a lot of avenues” for polypropylene feedstock to supply both plants.
As the firm progresses through the financing stage of its Augusta facility, various equipment has already been delivered to the site. Additionally, it has also been disclosed that PureCycle plans on constructing between one and four plants in Antwerp, on top of is potential ventures in South Korea and Japan.
“The announcement of our first location in Europe marks the next phase in executing PureCycle’s global growth strategy,” PureCycle Vice President of European Operations Wiebe Schipper states. “We are excited to bring our ultra-pure recycled (UPR) resin to customers in Europe, where companies and policies are at the forefront of the circular economy.”
Procter & Gamble Co. (P&G), based out of Cincinnati, created PureCycle’s patented system for manufacturing high-grade recycled resin, which PureCycle then licenses to other entities. Victor Aguilar, Chief Research, Development and Innovation Officer of P&G expressed his excitement stating that, “We are very proud to see this technology commercialized. This is an important step toward making recycled materials more readily integrated into products and packaging and consistent with P&G’s interest in enabling more sustainable solutions for our industry.”
Ironton Community to See Job Opportunities Arise
When the production process begins, Olson has indicated that his company will provide potential purchasers with samples of UPR. He said, “There are a lot of people who have interest in our product. We have a supply that no one else has, and in that respect, we’re in really great shape. And I can tell you, yes, there’s global demand for it.”
The Ironton community also stands to gain a great benefit from the upcoming PureCycle purification plant. As many as 100 new, high-wage jobs will be created as a direct result of the facility.
“This has been a decades-long effort to take this concept from idea to paper to steel,” Olson continues. “We’re proud of all the work that’s been done both from people before us as well as people today, and we’re very appreciative of all of the suppliers and partners and investors that have trusted us with their time and their resources to get us to where we are today.”
