Processing plastic to produce diesel
From oil to oil. By allowing plastic waste to be converted into fuel, Cynar Plc, with plants in Ireland and the UK, is revolutionising the production of diesel and working with SITA UK, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, to expand use of this system. Focus on an astonishing innovation.
We cannot emphasize enough that plastic waste is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. At a time when waste production is increasing and oil resources are limited, converting plastic into diesel seems to be a short and medium term solution.
Cleaner, cheaper and marketable diesel
Protecting the environment by creating a powerful source of energy is the motto of CynarPlc, whose first installation is already operational in Portlaoise, an hour’s drive from Dublin, Ireland. The solution is clear and the ambition is fitting. “Each plant is designed to convert around 6,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste a year, focusing on the mixed plastic waste that is normally dumped in landfills. Each one should produce over 4 million litres of diesel fuel“ explains Cynar Plc.
But how is this conversion actually achieved? It’s very simple. The plastic waste is initially ground to make it easier to treat. It is then heated by pyrolysis and transformed into gas, which is liquefied by a distillation process. A tonne of plastic provides around 900 litres of fuel. And to crown it all, the diesel produced is cleaner, cheaper and directly marketable. A real godsend therefore.
A second life for plastic waste
This revolutionary process, which uses the plastic created from oil to recreate diesel, attracted SITA UK, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. With Blue Orange, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s investment fund, which supports the commercial and industrial development of young companies developing innovative technologies, an agreement was signed in November 2010 with Cynar to build 10 plants in the UK with a dual objective: to recycle the plastic collected, which normally ends up in incinerators or landfills, while fuelling SITA UK’s fleet of lorries. An innovative way of closing the loop and contributing to the development of a circular economy.
Cynar: how turn end of life plastic into diesel?
Photo Credits: © SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT / Abacapress / Peter Stumpf
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