Plastic waste is not incinerated, but turned back into oil in 30 minutes - using only pressure, heat and water: this revolutionary HydroPRS recycling process is now being launched on a commercial scale for the first time. The British company Mura Technology is starting to commission the world's first plant - with the support of investor Igus. An important step on the way to an environmentally friendly and resource-saving circular economy for plastics.

Mura Technology's first HydroPRS plastics recycling plant opened its doors to investors, partners and supporters on October 26 at the Wilton International industrial site in Teesside, UK, ahead of the plant going into operation in 2024. The plant uses supercritical water (water at high temperature and pressure) to convert products such as films, pots or cups made from multi-layer mixed plastics, which were previously considered inseparable, into virgin, recycled hydrocarbon feedstock. These can then be used to manufacture new plastics and other products. The plant's capacity is 20,000 tons per year and is set to be more than tripled in the future. Until now, mixed plastics could only be separated by type in mechanical recycling with great effort and therefore usually ended up in incineration.

Recycling saves 80 % CO2 emissions

By converting plastic waste back into new substitute raw materials, no crude oil is lost as a valuable fossil raw material. At the same time, independent life cycle analyses carried out by WMG at the University of Warwick show that CO2 emissions are 80% lower than with incineration. Compared to petroleum-based fossil raw materials, HydroPRS produces products with the same or lower global warming potential and saves up to around 5 barrels of oil per ton of plastic waste processed. Thanks to this technology, the same material can be recycled an unlimited number of times. This means that HydroPRS has the potential to significantly reduce single-use plastics and permanently increase the recyclability of materials in the plastics industry.

Igus has now invested €5 million to support Mura from the start-up phase to the commercialization of the technology. As a plastics manufacturing company, Igus also feels a responsibility to continuously optimize the environmental footprint of its materials. Supporting the HydroPRS technology is one of many building blocks in this process. Igus uses 99% of the plastic waste from its own production for new granulate for the injection molding machines. In 2019, igus also launched 'chainge' - a digital recycling platform for discarded energy chains and other components made from engineering plastics. In 2022, the first energy chain made from 100% recycled material was created. With the igus:bike project, the company is also developing a plastic bicycle for sustainable urban mobility, whose frame and wheels can be made from plastic waste such as old fishing nets. Plastic waste in landfills and in the world's oceans is thus converted into a valuable resource.