https://www.nedo.go.jp/news/press/AA5_101804.html
Project 1 Development of chemical recycling technology to produce basic chemicals from mixed plastics, Resonac Inc.
We will develop technology to directly convert and regenerate mixed plastics, which account for the majority of waste plastics, into useful basic chemicals such as low-molecular-weight olefins and benzene. In this theme, we aim to establish technology that can handle a variety of waste plastics by conducting pyrolysis using microwave heating and other methods on a demonstration scale of several thousand tons per year. First, we will select the decomposition process and reactor type on a lab and bench scale, and then optimize the conditions while scaling up to pilot scale and demonstration scale. In addition, we will identify and address issues that may arise when commercialized. By FY2032, we will establish a pyrolysis technology that directly converts and regenerates mixed plastics into basic chemicals, capable of producing various useful basic chemicals such as low-molecular-weight olefins and BTX with a yield of 60% or more, and reduce the CO2 emitted during production to 0.8 kg-CO2/kg-olefin or less. Through demonstration on a scale of several thousand tons per year, we aim to reduce production costs by 20% compared to current chemically recycled plastics.
Project 2 Development of carbon reuse technology from polymer products including used tires, Tokai Carbon Inc.
We will develop technology to generate carbon black from used tires that is comparable to new carbon black derived from petrochemicals and reuse it in tires. First, we will confirm and establish a technology that can modify the properties of recycled carbon black extracted from polymer products containing rubber such as used tires and use it in tires at a higher ratio than conventional recycled carbon black on a scale of 5,000 tons per year. We will also develop technology to further increase the reinforcing properties of recycled carbon black to ensure highly reinforced recycled carbon black that can be used in tire treads. We will also develop technology to recover carbon black from tires without thermal decomposition, which causes carbon black to deteriorate, and recover recycled carbon black that is comparable to new petrochemical-derived carbon black. We will create tire rubber using these developed recycled carbon blacks and evaluate their performance, application areas, and practicality. By 2032, we will realize technology to produce carbon black (CB) recycled from used tires with the same quality as new CB and reduce CO2 emissions during recycled product manufacturing to 1 kg-CO2/kg-CB or less. Through demonstrations on a scale of several thousand to 10,000 tons/year, we aim to utilize CB in tire manufacturing at the same level as new CB.
