Formerra to distribute PureCycle's recycled polypropylene

PureCycle Technologies LLC has named Formerra LLC its primary North American distributor for its PureFive recycled polypropylene.

"This is another key step in executing our global growth strategy. … We will rely on Formerra as a trusted distribution partner to help us reach new markets," PureCycle CEO Dustin Olson said in a March 6 news release. "Formerra's commitment to innovative approaches to complex end market applications and strong dedication to sustainable solution building is a perfect fit for our company."

"We are excited to bring PureCycle resin to our expansive materials lineup," Formerra CEO Cathy Dodd said in the release. "Our customers will now have a game-changing solution to help them meet their environmental sustainability goals.

"Our experienced technical team will be able to work with PureCycle to customize the material to meet specific customer needs," Dodd added. "Addressing the world's most pressing sustainability challenges is a responsibility we all share."

PureCycle's first purification line in Ironton, Ohio, is scheduled to be completed "shortly," Olson said. Its other two lines planned for Augusta, Ga., were "designed to produce more than 300 million pounds of [ultrapure post-consumer] resin," he added.

PureCycle's resin is expected to be available to Formerra customers by as early as the fourth quarter of 2023.

The resin "is made using a patented process designed to transform polypropylene plastic waste into a continuously renewable resource," the release said.

The company's purification technology removes odor, color and other impurities, resulting in pure recycled plastic that can be recycled and reused, it said.

PureCycle says the "like-virgin" material is easily colorable, 100 percent recyclable and projected to use about 79 percent less energy than virgin resin. It's also projected to release 35 percent fewer carbon emissions than new PP manufacturing.

PureCycle also announced that it is partnering with iSustain Inc., a Soddy Daisy, Tenn.-based energy and waste management company, to provide it with up to 10 million pounds of PP waste. The companies said iSustain will source "post-use polypropylene and packaging materials that are not typically recycled."

"This agreement is evidence of a great partnership that continues to flourish," Olson said. "In 2022, we teamed up with iSustain to bring sustainable recycling practices to the Plastics Recycling Conference.

"This deal … will have a lasting impact far beyond a single week event," Olson added. "With iSustain's expansive network, we can use our patented recycling technology to grow beyond curbside materials and also achieve circularity with other polypropylene waste materials."

"PureCycle is a game-changing solution for polypropylene plastic waste," Mark Huber, iSustain Recycling vice president of business development, said in the release. "Their technology is creating new recycling markets for previously unrecyclable plastic waste."

PureCycle is based in Orlando, Fla. Formerra, the former Avient Corp. resin distribution unit, is based in Romeoville, Ill.