Firms secure recycled raw materials

Two large chemical firms—Braskem and Covestro—have secured supplies of recycled raw materials. Braskem has signed an agreement with Shell, which will supply propylene derived from mixed plastic waste. Braskem will use the propylene at its polypropylene plant in Wesseling, Germany. Covestro has signed a supply agreement with Encina, which is building a plant in Pennsylvania that will turn plastic waste into benzene, toluene, xylene, and other chemicals. It will supply benzene and toluene to Covestro, which plans to use them to make the polyurethane raw materials methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and toluene diisocyanate.