Dow recently announced the company has signed an agreement with Freepoint Eco-Systems Supply & Trading LLC (Freepoint Eco-Systems) for an estimated 65,000 metric tons per year of certified-circular, plastic waste-derived pyrolysis oil to produce new, virgin-grade equivalent plastics in Dow's U.S. Gulf Coast operations. Together, Dow and Freepoint Eco-Systems are building a recycling system that converts plastic waste into valuable materials and fosters a circular economy for plastics in North America.
The pyrolysis oil will be produced at a new advanced recycling facility owned and operated by Freepoint Eco-Systems Eloy Recycling LLC, a Freepoint Eco-Systems affiliate. Once completed, the new advanced recycling facility, to be constructed in Arizona, will be ISCC Plus-Certified. The facility will process end-of-life plastic waste in the region, diverting it from landfills or incineration, by converting that waste into recycled pyrolysis oil. For every ton of plastic waste, approximately 70% is expected to be converted to pyrolysis oil and sold exclusively to Dow for phase one of the facility, beginning as early as 2026.
Utilizing the circular liquid supply, Dow will produce new products with virgin-grade equivalent plastics, replacing those made from conventional feedstock. The resulting circular products will be suitable for use in various applications including food-grade packaging (such as pet food, confectionery, and snacks) as well as medical and pharmaceutical packaging, while maintaining existing product performance and reducing reliance on fossil feedstocks.
"This agreement with Dow represents a substantial step toward accelerating the circular economy in the region and helps to scale what will be an important advanced recycling facility in the U.S.," added Jeff McMahon, managing director at Freepoint Eco-Systems. "We are expanding capabilities for more circular economy solutions for plastic waste globally."
"Our agreement with Freepoint Eco-Systems marks another important step in Dow's pursuit to source circular supply and transform end-of-life plastic waste into products that help our customers meet their recycled content goals," said Victor Zapata, North America commercial vice president of Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. "The Dow team is energized to work with an innovative partner like Freepoint Eco-Systems that shares our commitment to building a much-needed infrastructure for circular plastics."
"Through this collaboration, Dow is redefining how we source raw materials for our products while tackling the challenge of plastic pollution," said Issam Lazraq, Dow global sustainable feedstocks director, Feedstocks and Commodities. "By converting locally available plastic waste, that was destined for landfills or incineration, into pyrolysis oil supply for our U.S. Gulf Coast operations, we are building a reliable circular feedstock supply portfolio."
As Freepoint Eco-Systems previously announced, once fully operational, the new facility will have a total nameplate capacity to recycle approximately 180,000 tons of plastic waste per year – equivalent to the weight of approximately 9,000 fully loaded semi-trailer trucks. Phase one, expected to start up in 2026, will initially process 90,000 tons of waste, yielding 65,000 metric tons of pyrolysis oil sold exclusively to Dow. The facility will be located in Eloy, Arizona, on 40 acres of undeveloped land.
"The development of this advanced recycling facility by Freepoint Eco-Systems and its affiliates, supported by the agreement with Dow, furthers Arizona's position as a leader in the circular economy evolution for the region, creating quality green jobs and fueling continued sustainable economic growth for Eloy," said Eloy Mayor Micah Powell.
Additional information about Dow is available at www.dow.com. To learn more about Freepoint Eco-Systems, www.FreepointEcoSystems.com.
