Plastic Waste Finally Meets Its Match in the Reactor

Clariant, Borealis, and SINTEF prove that mixed plastic waste can be upgraded into cracker-grade feedstock using a single reactor system

17 Mar 2026

A pilot study carried out by chemicals company Clariant, polyolefin producer Borealis, and Norwegian research institute SINTEF has confirmed that mixed plastic waste can be converted into feedstock suitable for use in steam crackers, the industrial units that produce the basic building blocks of plastics. The results, published on 12 March 2026, mark a significant step toward closing the loop on plastic production at commercial scale.

At the centre of the process is Clariant's HDMax catalyst system, which upgraded pyrolysis oil, a liquid derived from heating waste plastics, to meet cracker-grade specifications within a single multi-layer reactor. Earlier approaches typically required three to four separate reactors. The simplified design reduces capital costs, energy use, and operational complexity, strengthening the economic case for scaling the technology across existing refinery and petrochemical sites.

Each partner brought a distinct role to the project. Clariant supplied both the HDMax catalyst for upgrading and its HYDEX catalyst for hydrocracking, along with process design expertise. SINTEF conducted independent pilot-scale testing at its facility in Norway. Borealis defined the quality standards the upgraded feedstock would need to meet, drawing on its experience operating chemical recycling lines under its Borcycle product range.

The findings are relevant to petrochemical operators currently assessing plastic-derived inputs as an alternative to conventional naphtha, a crude oil fraction commonly used as cracker feedstock. Pyrolysis oil generated from contaminated or mixed post-consumer plastics, materials that cannot be processed through mechanical recycling, can now be brought to a chemically equivalent standard. As recycled content requirements tighten across supply chains and traceability becomes a procurement priority, a validated route from end-of-life plastic to certified cracker feedstock could carry material commercial weight. The three partners have not yet disclosed plans for full-scale deployment.