Eastman has plants designed to treat difficult to recycle polyester by reaction with methanol. With PET plastic this results in dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol. These can be purified and remanufactured into quality PET plastics. These are high value materials with potential to pay for collection and processing.
Eastman reported earnings today. They report that the Kingsport, TN plant is now running smoothly and made a major contribution to profits. Last quarter they reported start-up problems. Sounds like they have been resolved.
“Eastman’s Kingsport, Tennessee facility utilizes advanced technology to convert plastic waste back into its original monomers, which could then be used to make new plastic products. The facility has the capacity to recycle about 110,000 metric tons annually.”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eastman-chemical-forecasts-quarterly-profit-222009941.html#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
A second plant is in Longview, TX. Pepsi has agreed to buy the product. https://www.eastman.com/en/sustainability/molecular-recycling-facilities/longview-texas
Mechanical recycling usually results in downgrading uses. Cannot be used for food packaging. Methanolysis can handle many dirty, difficult to reprocess plastics.
“Polyester renewal technology (PRT), a form of molecular recycling, allows us to divert a range of hard-to-recycle polyester plastic waste, including materials like soft drink bottles, colored and opaque plastic, carpet fibers or even polyester-based clothing from landfills and incinerators.”
https://www.eastman.com/en/sustainability/environmental/circularity/circular-solutions/polyester-renewal
A third plant is under construction in France.
Eastman Chemical appears to be the industry leader in this technology.