# Closing the loop on plastics

**Source**: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/spotlights/end-of-life-plastics/
**Parent**: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/spotlights/

Recycling end-of-life plastics to create a range of useful products and packaging

Plastic waste is one of the most polluting man-made materials to our oceans and wider environment.

A system that processes plastic waste whilst deriving useful building blocks from it, reduces plastic pollution and can provide a solution to our current environmental crisis.

Our collaboration with **[Plastic Energy](https://plasticenergy.com/)** is helping to facilitate their unique TAC™ process that does just that. Our bespoke model has refined the company’s technology – and been key to the safe processing of a wider range of plastics alongside a more controlled production of useful materials.

## Our impact

### Plastic Energy’s achievements

- Patented and proven recycling technology converts end-of-life plastic waste into an optimal feedstock (TACOIL™) for making clean recycled plastics used for food-grade packaging.
- For every tonne of end-of-life plastic waste processed in Plastic Energy’s plants, hundreds of litres of TACOIL™ are produced.
- The company is a signatory of the Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s [New Plastics Economy Global Commitment](https://www.newplasticseconomy.org/projects/global-commitment) - which is a commitment for using all TACOIL™ from its process to create new plastics, benefitting the circular economy.
- Plastic Energy has a goal to recycle five million tonnes of plastic waste by 2030.

### Wide technology take-up

- Plastic Energy has offtake agreements with many of the major petrochemical companies in the industry.
- Leading polymer producer SABIC uses Plastic Energy’s feedstock to create recycled polymers that can be incorporated by brands into food-grade packaging.

[### Plastic2Plastic by Plastic Energy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLtvPuzzFhw)

## The research

Our multidisciplinary collaboration with Plastic Energy began in 2015 and draws on our expertise in materials analysis and characterisation as well as our hands-on process design and management capabilities.

The first phase of the work was the design and build of a small-scale model to replicate the company’s chemical recycling system, but with additional analytical sampling points to assess the plastic conversion process in real-time.

This allowed us to refine and optimise the process, identify and eliminate contaminants, and ensure consistent TACOIL which can be up-cycled into polymers for the production of virgin-quality plastic, suitable for food use.

Plastic Energy’s patented TAC™ process reduces the environmental impact of plastic production and end-of-life processing. Widespread adoption will reduce resource depletion and help to curb pollution.

[### Demand for circular polymers is rapidly increasing](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/chemicals/our-insights/advanced-recycling-opportunities-for-growth)

[### ≈8M metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010](https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/marinedebris/plastics-in-the-ocean.html)

### Research funder

- Plastic Energy

### Development partners

- Plastic Energy

## Meet the experts

### [Professor Steve Christie](https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/chemistry/staff/steve-christie/)

#### Professor of Chemical Technologies

- [+44 (0)1509 222587](tel:+44 (0)1509 222587)
- [Send email](mailto:S.D.Christie@lboro.ac.uk)

### Professor Paul Thomas

#### Emeritus Professor of Analytical Science

- [Send email](mailto:C.L.P.Thomas@lboro.ac.uk)

### [Dr Jim Reynolds](https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/chemistry/staff/james-c-reynolds/)

#### Senior Lecturer in Analytical Chemistry

- [+44 (0)1509 222540](tel:+44 (0)1509 222540)
- [Send email](mailto:J.C.Reynolds@lboro.ac.uk)

### Dr Matthew Turner

#### Lecturer in Analytical Science

- [+44 (0)1509 222590](tel:+44 (0)1509 222590)
- [Send email](mailto:M.A.Turner@lboro.ac.uk)

## Commercialisation

Our research underpins Plastic Energy’s patented technology which is leading the way in the recycling of end-of-life plastics.