Turning Plastic Waste into Valuable Oil: University of Amsterdam’s Chemical Recycling Project Enters Industrial Phase

The Catalysis Engineering research group at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) has developed a highly robust, novel process for the chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste. Announced on June 2, 2026, the newly developed pilot plant aims to demonstrate how problematic, hard-to-sort plastic waste can be transformed into a valuable resource, thereby supporting the global transition to a circular economy. The technology will soon begin operations under real industrial conditions, processing actual municipal plastic waste in Spain.

Revolutionary Solution: Solvothermal Liquefaction (STL) Technology

project was realized within the framework of the European Union-funded PLASTICE consortium, under the professional leadership of Associate Professor Dr. Shiju Raveendran. The innovation they apply is Solvothermal Liquefaction (STL). The process uses a combination of solvents, heat, special catalysts, and elevated pressure to transform mixed plastic waste into dark brown oil. The extracted oil contains molecules that can be used to produce new, virgin-quality plastics, allowing the researchers to successfully close the material recycling loop.

One of the most important technological achievements of the process is that the equipment can simultaneously “consume” and process all types of plastics. This offers an immediate, efficient solution for recycling highly complex, mixed municipal plastic waste streams. Currently, processing this type of waste requires extensive and expensive pre-sorting. Without this, a significant portion of plastics today still ends up in incinerators or landfills.

University of Amsterdam: Scientific Background, Laboratory Successes, and By-product Management

Over the past few years, Dr. Raveendran and his research group have developed and tested novel nanostructured solid catalysts that enable the efficient industrial processing of plastic feedstocks. Laboratory experiments have clearly shown that the reaction takes only 30 minutes. At the end of this barely half-hour process, the system produces three distinct products: gas, oil, and a carbonized residue (char).

During the process, the char is mechanically filtered out, the water is fully recovered and recycled within the system, and the remaining oil is separated. The resulting oil is clean, immediately ready, and has the real potential to serve as a primary feedstock for manufacturing new plastics. The laboratory research included in-depth kinetic studies, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling, techno-economic analyses, and the exploration of options for utilizing other by-products generated during the process. The scientific achievements have also been published in leading international peer-reviewed journals.

Exact Technical and Financial Parameters of the Pilot Plant

The total budget of the EU-funded PLASTICE research project approaches 20 million euros, of which Dr. Raveendran secured a grant of over 1.5 million euros for the development of the STL process. Following thorough laboratory development, the technology has now reached the critical demonstration phase, achieving Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6/7, which is a crucial step toward industrial implementation.

The construction of the pilot plant consists of two interconnected units (skids), where all components of the system are mounted on a robust steel frame. The physical parameters are as follows:

• The main unit in the foreground measures approximately 3 x 1.5 x 4 meters.

• The second unit measures approximately 2.8 x 1.1 x 1.7 meters.

• The total mass of the equipment is about 4,400 kilograms.

• The central reactor vessel is a unit with a 25-liter capacity.

The system is the result of a joint development with an engineering partner in India specializing in industrial process systems. The equipment is equipped with storage tanks, integrated safety systems, as well as local and remote control capabilities. In April 2026, the Factory Acceptance Test was successfully completed in the presence of Dr. Raveendran. Comprehensive safety and process evaluations were conducted during the development, including HAZOP studies, and the engineering designs were certified by Bureau Veritas.

International Deployment: The Journey from Academia to Industrial Reality

The transportable unit, currently being assembled, will be shipped from India to Spain over the summer. The reactor will begin operations this summer at the site of the PLASTICE project partner, the state-owned waste management company COGERSA, based in Asturias.

Although laboratory experiments were also based on real waste, Dr. Raveendran emphasized that they will undoubtedly face unforeseen challenges during the scale-up phase. This is the group’s first pilot deployment specifically focusing on chemical recycling. According to the professor, elevating university research to an industrial level goes beyond engineering tasks: it also involves regulatory approvals, safety inspections, and certification processes that academic publications often overlook. For Dr. Raveendran, this is exactly what makes the work meaningful: translating research into real-world solutions while allowing participating young researchers to gain experience in multidisciplinary collaboration and sustainability-driven innovation by facing actual industrial challenges.

Reference Links:

• Original source (University of Amsterdam): Cooking plastics into oil – HIMS

• State / Partner reference link: The official website of the state-owned waste management company in Asturias (Spain) mentioned in the article: COGERSA (Consorcio para la Gestión de Residuos Sólidos en Asturias)