LyondellBasell eyes opportunities in molecular recycling for plastics industry

The longer-term future of plastics recycling lies, in part, with molecular recycling, and LyondellBasell NV is researching how that might be done at a larger scale now, said CEO Bob Patel.

Molecular recycling, as opposed to mechanical recycling, breaks used plastics down into feedstock to run back through chemical plants and feed back into useful products, Patel said. Patel was speaking on a panel at Houston-based CERAWeek by IHS Markit, a large energy conference in Houston that has gone fully virtual…