Tackling the end-of-life challenges of durable goods

LyondellBasell is investing in a new closed-loop preparation centre in Lich, Germany, for transforming plastic waste into high-quality feedstock for high-performance materials, supporting the circular economy and contributing to industry sustainability goals. The closed-loop preparation centre supports the LyondellBasell integrated hub strategy, bringing together existing assets with new advanced sorting and recycling capabilities to create operational scale, reduce cost and capture value from plastic waste.

This new centre marks a significant leap in waste processing capabilities for durable goods, such as automotive and white good appliance parts. The requirements for recycling durable goods once they’ve reached their end-of-life are complex. The materials need to be stripped of any paint, metal and other additives to get to a plastic suitable for a high-quality feedstock. 

The recycling centre employs mechanical recycling to transform end-of-life automotive and appliance plastics, such as bumpers and trim, into high-quality recycled materials. These recycled materials will be incorporated into the LyondellBasell CirculenRecover product range, offering more sustainable solutions based on recycled content for demanding applications in the automotive and white goods sectors, including structural parts, interior components, and visible applications.

The Lich recycling centre is expected to reach commercial scale in the fourth quarter of 2024. This investment aligns with the company’s ambitious goal to produce and market at least 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable-based polymers annually by 2030.