Ioniqa: closing the loop on PET waste

Ioniqa logo
Type of organisation or company
Country
Netherlands
City
Eindhoven
Language for original content
Project elaborated in partnership
No
Scope
Submitted by
Circular Economy Club
Ongoing
Yes
Type of funding
Description

Ioniqa is a clean-tech spinoff from the Eindhoven University of Technology which specialises in creating value out of PET waste.

It has developed an innovative and cost-effective process which closes the loop for plastics, starting with PET. This chemical recycling process transforms all types and even colours of PET waste into valuable resources for ‘virgin-quality’ new PET, a huge advance since recycling coloured PET has always been a problem. 

The other major benefit of this process is that the secondary raw material produced is identical to the plastics produced from oil and can even be used for food packaging.

This is done by depolymerisation, and the company uses the raw material produced from PET polyester plastic waste to make fully recyclable, food-safe, clear PET bottles.

Ioniqa will licence its technology and so promote the circular economy.

Identified challenge (s)
Main results
  • Ioniqa's circular process removes the reliance on oil for food-safe packaging while also slashing the amount of unrecyclable waste.
  • It is working on upcycling processes for other types of plastics.
  • It has established partnerships with major plastics multinationals.