PureCycle Technologies, and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges today announced that PureCycle intends to build its first polypropylene (PP) recycling facility in Europe in the port’s fast-growing NextGen District located in Belgium. The new plant is expected to have an annual capacity of 59,000 metric tons (130 million pounds) with opportunities to expand operations in the future since the 14-hectare plot can support up to four processing lines with an anticipated total capacity of approximately 240,000 metric tons (500 million pounds) per year (in total for all four processing lines). PureCycle is currently engaged in feedstock sourcing and financial planning with the intent to secure a final project timeline by mid-2023. Construction of the plant is expected to begin upon completion of the permitting process, which is currently anticipated in 2024. 

NextGen District is a global hub for businesses seeking to advance the circular economy. The district is located at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Europe’s second largest seaport. PureCycle was recently awarded a concessionaire contract during NextGen’s competitive bid selection process.

PureCycle Vice President of European Operations, Wiebe Schipper, comments, “The announcement of our first location in Europe marks the next phase in executing PureCycle’s global growth strategy. We are excited to bring our Ultra-Pure Recycled (UPR) resin to customers in Europe, where companies and policies are at the forefront of the circular economy. Being in the NextGen District will enable us to capitalize on existing efficiencies, collaborate with other innovators in the space and forge new partnerships.”

He adds, “We want to thank the Port of Antwerp-Bruges for believing in our mission and for providing the support necessary to get this project off the ground. Our team at PureCycle looks forward to creating a more sustainable future together.”

Port of Antwerp-Bruges CEO, Jacques Vandermeiren, says, “The Port of Antwerp-Bruges’ NextGen District is committed to creating an innovation hotspot where companies dedicated to building a circular economy and developing sustainable solutions to some of the world’s toughest climate and environmental challenges can thrive. We’re thrilled to be partnering with PureCycle on this strategic project to help bring that vision to life.”

PureCycle is already in active negotiations with potential feedstock and offtake partners and expects to commence commercial operations at its new European facility when construction of the first processing line is completed. The new polypropylene purification plant will not only supply the European market with PureCycle’s UPR resin but is also expected to create 65-70 new jobs for local residents during the initial phase of the project. This project represents one of the largest investments announced in the NextGen District to date. Various funding options are currently being considered, including traditional financing sources as well as grants/subsidies for circular projects that are uniquely available in the EU.

Minister-President of Flanders, Jan Jambon, remarks, “PureCycle selected Flanders as the preferred location within the EU for the construction of its first European recycling plant. This confirms that Flanders is among the world leaders in waste collection and processing and strengthens our position even more firmly as a leading recycling hub. PureCycle’s purification technology is a game changer within the circular economy and will have a major impact on making plastics – and pre-eminently the chemical cluster around the Port of Antwerp-Bruges – even more sustainable. As a region that pioneers in circular innovation, we are extremely proud to welcome this new ecosystem-strengthening partner in Flanders. Export and investment promotion agency Flanders Investment & Trade played a leading role in this investment dossier through teams in the US and in Flanders. FIT also supports PureCycle in the start-up and development of their site and their anchoring in Flanders.”

With the company’s flagship recycling plant in Ironton, OH expected to start pellet production in first quarter 2023; a second plant in Augusta, GA under initial construction; and its first PP recycling plant in Asia currently on track to open in 2025, PureCycle is expanding globally and actively scaling its production capabilities.