Mitsubishi announces chemical recycling project with Mura Technology, KBR

Japanese chemical manufacturer Mitsubishi Chemical has unveiled plans to develop its first chemical recycling project with licensed technology from Mura Technology and KBR, according to a press release on Aug 12.

The project will be based at Mitsubishi's Ibaraki Plant in Japan, with the capacity to recycle 20,000 mt of plastic waste per year. The company is expected to complete construction in 2023.

The announcement follows a licensing agreement for the trademarked HydroPRS process signed on June 16, with UK-based chemical recycler Mura Technology and US-based engineering company KBR.

Chemical recycling has been increasingly viewed as a viable alternative to mechanical recycling by the plastics industry, as it allows plastic wastes that were previously landfilled or incinerated to be recycled without downgrading.

Mitsubishi has said that it will seek to extend the plant's capacity in the future, as Mura highlighted the fact the HydroPRS technology is "inherently scalable."

"We see this as an extremely important step forward and MCC will continue to study and implement solutions towards a circular economy," Shigeru Handa, Chief Operating Officer, Basic Materials Domain, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation said.