Revolutionizing the Future of Plastic in Normandy, France | Eastman
Eastman is investing to create the world’s largest molecular recycling plant in Port-Jérôme-sur-Seine in Normandy, France.
The facility will use Eastman’s molecular recycling technology to recycle up to 110,000 metric tons of polyester-rich plastic waste per year, which currently has little or no recycling outlet.
The plastic waste includes everyday items like colored polyethylene terephthalate (PET) found in food packaging, reusable water bottles, and clothing that can’t be mechanically recycled. Because traditional recycling technologies cannot process this plastic waste, these plastics end up in landfills, incinerators, or worse, the environment.
On a scale like none before, the new facility will break down once hard-to-recycle plastic materials into building blocks to create equally high-quality plastic that can be reused over and over again and keep plastic waste from polluting nature.
On top of that, we expect the molecular recycling to lower costs for end products and encourage customers to make sustainable choices without having to pay a higher price.
Through a combination of proven Eastman processes and renewable energy resources in Normandy, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional methods of producing virgin PET plastic. With a clear vision and aligned goals, Eastman and the French government are working together to achieve a true circular economy with what once was hard-to-recycle plastic waste.
The facility to be located in in Port-Jérôme-sur-Seine, is expected to be operational by 2027/2028.
Learn more about the molecular recycling facility here: https://www.eastman.com/en/media-center/news-stories/2022/eastman-exclusive-negotiation-site-normandy
