ORLEN Venture Capital (ORLEN VC) has announced a significant investment in ReVentas, a Scottish start-up at the forefront of innovative plastic recycling technology. The investment is set to revolutionize plastic waste management by converting it into high-quality polymers suitable for demanding applications like consumer packaging, promising substantial environmental and business benefits.

ReVentas’ patented process specifically targets polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), the two most widely used plastics, collectively representing nearly half of the world’s colossal 390 million-tonne annual plastic production. Their unique recycling method involves dissolving the polymer and meticulously stripping out contaminants such as fillers, pigments, and odors. This meticulous process yields a clean, homogeneous resin that is virtually indistinguishable from virgin PE and PP, making it ideal for direct reintegration into the manufacturing of packaging, automotive parts, and a diverse range of consumer products.

A key advantage of the ReVentas technology lies in its operational efficiency. The process functions at low temperatures and pressures, significantly reducing energy consumption and, consequently, its carbon footprint. This low-energy approach is crucial for scaling up operations to an industrial level, which would substantially increase the market supply of high-purity recycled plastic. Currently, global recycling efforts manage to reclaim a mere 9% of polymers, largely due to the inherent difficulties in producing top-grade material from mixed plastic waste. ReVentas' innovative solution addresses this critical bottleneck, paving the way for a more circular plastics economy.

Ireneusz Fafara, President of the Management Board, ORLEN, emphasized the strategic importance of this investment: “Growth at ORLEN is powered by innovation. We actively seek cutting-edge, high-tech solutions that create lasting competitive advantages and move us towards our strategic objectives. Our ambition is to evolve into a climate-neutral enterprise, which is why we are embedding circular-economy principles and investing in yet another technology company specialised in plastics recycling. The move will enable us to deliver tangible business and environmental benefits while keeping ORLEN ahead of EU regulations.”

Tom Rose, CEO of ReVentas, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “ORLEN VC’s investment gives us more than just the capital required to advance the business—it opens the door to broad-based collaboration. We see significant potential for our technology in Central Europe, and ORLEN, as the region’s leading player, is the perfect partner to fast-track its commercial roll-out.”

ORLEN plans to dramatically increase its recycling capacity from the current 40 thousand tonnes to an impressive 250 thousand tonnes over the next decade. Furthermore, the company aims for products made from renewable or secondary feedstocks to constitute 10% of its total petrochemical sales by 2035.