Pyrowave closes investment round to bring its modular plastic recycling technology to the market

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Type of post: NEWS.

Pyrowave has announced the closing of a series B investment that marks the first step towards bringing its modular technology to market. The company has developed a microwave-based chemical recycling technology that allows post-consumer and post-industrial plastics to be regenerated and restored to their full value.
Press release: “Pyrowave closes Series B led by Michelin and Sofinnova Partners”, 30/4/2020.

Figure 1. Pyrowave closes investment led by Michelin and Sofinnova Partners (extracted from the press release)

The round led by Michelin and Sofinnova Partners (European venture capital firm investing in sustainable chemistry and biotechnology) also includes Ecofuel, a Quebec-based early stage cleantech venture capital fund. Early stage financial partners have also renewed their confidence by reinvesting in the company. After more than one year of technological review, the Pyrowave technology demonstrated its ability to produce recycled styrene monomer from plastic waste to be later integrated in the production of synthetic rubber, a major component found in tires. Michelin has assessed Pyrowave technology and has decided to support it.

The technology

Pyrowave technology is chiefly designed to process polystyrene (it can process the full range of expanded polystyrene and high impact polystyrene) but could possibly process polypropylene and polyethylene. The generated products prevent the extraction of petroleum and avoid the emission of 3 equivalent tons of greenhouse gases per ton of processed plastics.

It is a modular technology that can be integrated in local existing sorting facilities and can be rolled out quickly on the market. It is based on a microwave system using about 15 times less energy than the current process to manufacture styrene monomers from virgin resources, and the heat released can be recovered to heat buildings. Its current yield can reach up to 95% in monomer production and has a processing capacity ranging from 100 kg/h to 200 kg/h. One module can therefore produce between 500 and 1.000 tons/year.

Figure 2. Simplified process diagram of Pyrowave technology (extracted from a company brochure)

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