Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC; Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Masayuki Waga) has entered into a license agreement with Mura Technology Limited (Mura; Head office: UK) for the HydroPRS™ raw material manufacturing process that converts plastics into regenerated chemicals and oils.
Striving to realize a circular economy, MCC is continually pursuing methods to convert raw materials to non-fossil based materials and developing technologies for chemical recycling of plastic waste. Based on this license agreement with Mura, MCC is planning to introduce HydroPRS™ to accelerate detailed studies toward the commercialization of chemical recycling for plastic waste.
Shigeru Handa, Chief Operating Officer, Basic Materials Domain, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, said: “This new licence agreement between MCC, Mura Technology and KBR comes at a pivotal time for the natural environment, as we face a plastic pollution crisis. MCC is committed to developing and introducing new and innovative technologies into plastic waste infrastructure and following our research and feasibility study into the HydroPRS™ process, we feel this agreement is an extremely positive step towards our sustainability goals.”
HydroPRS™ is an innovative process that utilizes high-temperature and high-pressure supercritical water to convert plastics into regenerated chemicals and oils. As with conventional direct pyrolysis technology, HydroPRS™ can create a high yield of regenerated oils with the same quality as petroleum-derived raw materials, which allows for implementation into existing facilities without pretreatment. With this process, plastic wastes that were previously incinerated or landfilled can now be chemically recycled. HydroPRS™ enables significant reductions of CO2 emissions and fossil fuel consumption throughout the plastic life cycle, which will greatly contribute to the realization of a circular economy.
MCC will continue to contribute to the realization of a circular economy by introducing innovative technologies and providing solutions for environmental and social issues.
About Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Mitsubishi Chemical, as a core operating company of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group, seeks to provide solutions to environmental and social issues and to contribute to the sustainable development of people, society and the Earth through its businesses built on a foundation of chemistry. In this way, we aim to realize KAITEKI- a condition that contributes to sustainable development that is optimal for people, society, and the Earth.