Technological watch

PureCycle Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCT) has reached an agreement with The Augusta Economic Development Authority to build its first U.S. cluster facility to produce ultra-pure recycled polypropylene (rPP) from waste polypropylene (PP). The 200-acre location in Augusta Corporate Park will create over 80 manufacturing jobs with an initial $440 million investment to primarily fund three lines of 130 million pounds of capacity during Phase 1 of the project. Augusta-Richmond County was selected based on feed and product delivery supply-chain efficiencies, community support, a skilled labor market, and Georgia’s business-friendly environment.

PureCycle uses licensed proprietary technology to recycle waste PP into ultra-pure recycled-PP for applications spanning consumer goods, automotive, building and construction, and industrial uses. The company can process a wide range of waste PP with varying levels of contamination.

The Augusta plant will enhance PureCycle’s ability to deliver product at scale with a robust process designed to produce 130mm pounds per year, per processing line, with expansion capacity to construct up to 5 processing lines within Augusta Corporate Park. The company plans to reach one billion pounds of production across its network by 2025, where it will produce virgin-like rPP from PP. Construction on the company’s flagship Ironton, OH recycling facility is well underway and has already pre-sold more than 20 years of output.

“We’re delighted to be working with the Augusta Economic Development Authority to establish our next polypropylene purification facility,” said PureCycle CEO Mike Otworth. “Demand for high quality recycled polypropylene is continuing to outpace supply as brands seek sustainable materials for their products. Our Augusta operation will be pivotal in our quest to help solve for the plastics waste crisis.”