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AmSty Uses Recycled Polystyrene Waste in Styrene Production - Big Step Toward PolyUsable™ Recycling

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In keeping with its plan to develop a long-term sustainable model for plastics recycling, AmSty, a leading U.S. based producer of polystyrene, is taking a big step. The company is now using recycled polystyrene, known as recycled styrene monomer (RSM), converted from waste by Agilyx as feedstock for its world-scale styrene production facility in St. James, Louisiana.



This step marks the first time a plastics producer has successfully produced high-purity ASTM styrene from polystyrene waste. AmSty President and Chief Executive Officer Brad Crocker remains optimistic about the recycling process and its future applications. “This is yet another successful milestone in our PolyUsable™ process to ensure no single-use items made from AmSty polystyrene ever need to be landfilled,” he said.

AmSty signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture with Agilyx in November 2018, which is still in-process and is expected to finalize sometime in the second quarter of 2019. The material delivered from Agilyx to the AmSty facility in St. James, Louisiana, is in accordance with an offtake agreement between the two companies. Once the RSM is processed, it will go to an AmSty polystyrene production facility to be converted into polystyrene pellets, the building blocks for both solid and foam products used in food service packaging such as cups, plates, take-home containers and many other innovative products.

Joe Vaillancourt, Chief Executive Officer of Agilyx, said, "This is another major milestone for the advancement of the circular economy. Our partnership with AmSty remains a great example of how we can come together to help change the waste and recycling industry to dramatically improve the recyclability of plastics, particularly polystyrene, with a favorable environmental profile.”

About AmSty

AmSty is a leading integrated producer of polystyrene and styrene monomer, offering solutions and services to customers in a variety of markets throughout the Americas. The company is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, and is a member of the American Chemistry Council and its Responsible Care initiative.

About Agilyx

Agilyx, based in Tigard, Oregon, is the leader and pioneer in chemically recycling difficult-to-recycle mixed waste plastic streams into high value low carbon circular feedstocks and fuels. The Company has developed the first system capable of recycling polystyrene waste into styrene monomer, which is then used to remake new polystyrene ("PS") products. The company also has commercialized a technology that converts mixed plastics to high quality crude oil. From these first to market products, the company has since expanded its product platform into a broad range of customized low carbon chemicals, polymers and fuels. Agilyx is working with waste service providers, municipalities, refiners, and private and public enterprises to develop closed-loop industrial solutions for mixed waste plastics. Contact us to have your plastic waste streams recycled at info@agilyx.com. For more information, follow us on social media and visit us at

Publication date: 10/04/2019

Business Wire

This project has been co-funded with the support of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union [LIFE17 ENV/ES/000438] Life programme

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Last update: 2022-01-31