ExxonMobil plans a $200 million investment in Texas to boost plastic recycling capacity using advanced pyrolysis technology, aiming to process 1 billion pounds of waste annually by 2027.
Erwin Seba reports for Reuters.
In short:
- ExxonMobil will expand operations at its Baytown and Beaumont, Texas, facilities to recycle up to 500 million pounds of plastic waste by 2026.
- The company uses pyrolysis technology, branded as Exxtend, to turn plastic waste into new, "virgin-quality" plastic with certified circularity.
- Exxon faces ongoing litigation from California over claims it misrepresented the efficacy of plastic recycling.
Key quote:
“We sell virgin-quality product, and a subset of our customers are buying a ‘certified circular certificate’ to demonstrate that for every ton that they buy... a ton of post-use plastic was fed into our facility.”
— Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions
Why this matters:
The initiative reflects industry efforts to address plastic pollution and promote circular economies. However, questions remain about the scalability and environmental impact of chemical recycling, especially amid legal and public scrutiny over corporate greenwashing.
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