License Agreement Reached for Massive Gulf Coast Pyrolysis Facility

Alterra Energy announced its license agreement with a subsidiary of Freeport Holdings, which will use its pyrolysis technology for processing plastic waste at a facility in the U.S. gulf coast region.

Alterra is the developer of its thermochemical liquefaction technology for plastic waste.  The company operates an existing facility using the technology in Akron, OH at a scale of 44 million lb/yr. The planned facility will have an estimated capacity of 423 million lb/yr, with the possibility of expansion to 635 million lb/yr.

The facility will recycle end-of-life plastic otherwise destined for landfills or incineration. The recycling facility’s output will be ISCC Plus certified and sold exclusively to Shell under a supply agreement. Shell has set a goal of using 1 million tons per year of plastic waste in its chemical production.

Freepoint Eco-Systems Holdings LLC is an affiliate of Freepoint Commodities LLC, a global commodities merchant providing supply chain management services and eco-friendly products and solutions, including conversion of waste plastic into new products.

"We are excited that an established global commodities merchant with a focus on owning and operating advanced recycling assets to minimize the reliance on fossil fuels for plastic production has chosen the Alterra technology,” said Frederic Schmuck, CEO at Alterra.

Pyrolysis technologies use heat in an anaerobic environment to break down plastic into liquid oils that can be used to replace fossil fuel sources as raw materials for plastic production.