The Italian national consortium for the collection, recycling and recovery of plastic packaging (COREPLA) has signed an agreement with energy company Eni to launch research projects into producing hydrogen from non-recyclable plastic packaging waste.

Signed by Eni, chief refining and marketing officer Giuseppe Ricci and COREPLA, president Antonello Ciotti, the agreement will see a joint working group assess the launch of research projects to produce hydrogen and high-quality biofuels from plastic waste over the next six months.

The two companies will also analyse how the market for non-mechanically recyclable packaging will evolve over the next few years and, in line with the new EU directives, will study the types of waste that can be used to develop a positive, innovative circular economy process and maximise recovery.

In sorted waste, plastic packaging is separated and sent to be recycled so it can be reused, mostly by transforming it into chips or grains which then become raw material for creating new products. The aim of the research is for Plasmix – different plastics that can’t be used in the recycling market – to now be recycled and transformed into new raw material.

The hydrogen produced by this process can be used in the production of biofuel to neutralise oxygen in vegetable oil and convert triglycerides into paraffins and isoparaffins, removing the sulphur, nitrogen and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.

This waste-to-fuel processing is central to Eni strengthening and developing its strategy to apply the principles of the circular economy to its business. The company has been producing high-quality biofuels since 2014 in Porto Marghera and Gela from cooking and frying oil, animal fat and other non-edible waste.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The results will be crucial to supporting the announced production on an industrial scale at these plants and potential other disused industrial sites in Italy and other countries.