Plastogaz receives strategic investment from Dow to simplify plastic waste-to-feedstock process

24.03.2022 14:28, Isabelle Mitchell

Dow (NYSE: Dow), the world’s leading materials science company, and Plastogaz SA, a technology startup and proprietor of an advanced recycling technology, have announced a strategic investment, which will help to simplify the process of converting plastic waste to feedstock and provide another carbon-efficient option to keep plastic waste out of landfills and the environment. The collaboration marks another milestone in Dow’s ongoing mission to protect the climate and close the loop on plastic waste. Plastogaz was a Venture Kick winner in 2019 and one of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2021. 

Plastogaz’s proprietary catalytic hydrocracking technology solution is unique because it is more efficient and less energy-intensive than some other current forms of advanced recycling. Advanced recycling requires highly controlled steps before plastic waste is converted to high-quality hydrocarbons, sufficient to recreate virgin-like plastics. This technology promises to simplify the process from waste to circular feedstock and circular polymers. Ultimately, this aims to increase the carbon yields of advanced recycling (efficiency) and minimize the energy needs for advanced recycling, hence fostering a more circular economy at a lower CO2 footprint. The joint aim is to accelerate the commercialization of this process.

Dow will bring global reach and materials science expertise to further develop technologies with smaller innovative companies, like Plastogaz, which are developing circular feedstock for plastics, which the global brands require to eliminate plastic waste from their value chains and address the plastic waste crisis.

Advanced recycling is a complementary process to conventional, mechanical recycling (the method currently most used to recycle plastics). However, the bonus for advanced recycling is that it can recycle traditionally hard to recycle plastics such as multi-layer, flexible plastics used in packaging, usually considered ‘unrecyclable’ and which are frequently incinerated or sent to landfills. Importantly, the recycled products will be suitable for use in food-contact packaging, unlike conventional recycling processes. With advanced recycling, there is no limit to the number of times the same material can be recycled, meaning it has the potential to eliminate waste from single-use plastic, creating value, not waste. In addition, advanced recycling processes are expected to save approximately 1.5 tons of CO2 per ton of plastic recycled, compared to incineration.

Keith Cleason, Business Vice President of Olefins, Aromatics, and Alternatives, commented: “This is an important strategic step for Dow and advances our commitment to create circular plastics with the lowest possible CO2 footprint. We are excited to continue to collaborate with innovative startups like Plastogaz, who share our ambition to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and plastic waste, in line with our global sustainability goals.”

Felix Bobbink, founder of Plastogaz, said: “Plastic pollution is a global crisis, and our main goal is to eliminate millions of tons of plastic waste every year and return it into the valuable resource that it is, so it can go on to be used again in a more circular and sustainable way. We want to change the way the world thinks about plastics – not as something to throw away, but as a product that can be used over and over again, sustainably and without damaging our natural environment. If we want to make long-lasting change, we need to work with like-minded and ambitious partners like Dow who have the potential to scale our technology.”

According to the World Economic Forum, the ‘lost resource’ of plastic waste is a huge economic opportunity, valued at up to USD 120 billion per year. By deploying technology capable of recycling more plastics and creating the ingredients for a circular plastics economy, this partnership offers the prospect of dramatically cutting global plastic waste and its emissions.

The investment was structured and led by Dow Venture Capital, which focuses on pursuing strategic investments in innovative startup companies that enable and accelerate Dow’s business growth and value.

Plastogaz was a Venture Kick winner in 2019 and one of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups in 2021.


The Plastogaz founders (from left to right): Antoine van Muyden, Wei-Tse Lee, Felix Bobbink, and Prof. Paul J. Dyson



Source: Dow press release