LyondellBasell Helps Close the loop on Polypropylene by Joining NEXTLOOPP Initiative

LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastic and chemical companies in the world, has recently joined the NEXTLOOPP initiative that brings more than 40 major industry players together with the goal of creating circular food-grade recycled polypropylene (“FGrPP”) from post-consumer packaging. NEXTLOOPP launched in October 2020

“To unlock the full value of plastics, critical gaps must be addressed so these valuable resources can be circulated back into the economy after use. The development of innovative, new solutions and the increase of recycling rates is key to addressing plastic waste and climate change,” says Richard Roudeix, senior vice president olefins & polyolefins EMEAI at LyondellBasell. “In the area of post-consumer polypropylene for food packaging, we are eager to join and support the research of the NEXTLOOPP project, together with other industry players, to help find new solutions.”

Polypropylene is the most widely used plastic in food packaging. NEXTLOOPP is able to close the loop on polypropylene (“PP”) by using a combination of cutting-edge technologies, developed by Nextek Ltd.  It does this by separating food-grade PP from the rest, and by decontaminating the polymer to ensure compliance with food-grade standards in the UK, EU and the U.S. Following outstanding results of its innovative tracer-based sorting trials, Nextek Ltd recently started production trials of food-grade compliant recycled PP, making over 60 different products from NEXTLOOPP's four grades of PPristine food compliant and INRT rPP grade resins.

Professor Edward Kosior, founder and CEO of Nextek Ltd and NEXTLOOPP said, “We are delighted to welcome LyondellBasell to our project. As we continue to build momentum, LyondellBasell’s expertise on delivering technologies that advance solutions to our world’s biggest challenges will be key.”

INRT Grade PP, an innovative high-quality polymer, has been developed specifically for packaging that requires no odor and no migration challenges.