Mitsui collaborates on microwave recycling

The Japanese firms Mitsui Chemicals and Microwave Chemical plan to develop microwave depolymerization technology. The companies are targeting automotive shredder residue (ASR) and thermosetting sheet molding compounds (SMC). ASR typically contains polypropylene and polyethylene, which Microwave says the technology can break down into propylene, ethylene, and other chemicals. SMC is made of styrenics and unsaturated polyester. Microwave says the process yields C2–C5 molecules, rather than the C6–C20 molecules that result from pyrolysis-based depolymerization.