ExxonMobil has unveiled an ambitious $200 million plan to expand its advanced recycling operations at its Baytown and Beaumont facilities in Texas, marking a significant step towards addressing global plastic waste. The investment, which aligns with the company’s commitment to building a circular economy for plastics, will add substantial capacity to its recycling infrastructure. The new facilities are projected to become operational in 2026, supporting ExxonMobil’s goal of recycling 1 billion pounds of plastic annually by 2027.

Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions, emphasized the transformative impact of this expansion. She highlighted that the company’s proprietary technology, proven at scale in Baytown, underpins the confidence in their ambitious recycling targets. McKee described the initiative as a solution-focused approach to reducing waste and creating value from materials that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerated.

Driving innovation with advanced recycling

The expansion will add 350 million pounds of annual advanced recycling capacity to the Texas facilities, bringing ExxonMobil’s total capacity in the region to 500 million pounds per year. This is part of a broader global effort to develop advanced recycling projects across North America, Europe, and Asia, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tackling the plastic waste crisis.

Advanced recycling is distinct from traditional mechanical recycling, converting hard-to-recycle plastics into raw materials that can be used in diverse applications, such as food-safe packaging, lubricants, and high-performance chemicals. This method addresses a broader spectrum of waste that traditional systems cannot process, making it a vital component of a sustainable, circular economy.

Industry observers note that ExxonMobil’s advanced recycling efforts cater to a growing global demand for sustainable solutions in sectors such as packaging and consumer goods. The company’s collaborations with customers in more than 15 countries underline its pivotal role in enabling circularity in plastic production and use.

Pioneering a circular economy for plastics

Since 2022, ExxonMobil’s Baytown facility has been a leader in advanced recycling in North America. By October 2024, it had processed over 70 million pounds of plastic waste. This success has set a strong foundation for the planned expansion. In addition, the company has been driving innovation through Cyclyx, a joint venture established in 2021 to improve the collection and sorting of plastic waste.

McKee highlighted that overcoming the plastic waste challenge requires collaborative efforts, innovative technologies, and supportive government policies to advance waste management systems and drive circularity. She reiterated ExxonMobil’s commitment to scaling solutions that not only reduce waste but also support customers in meeting their sustainability targets.

With this latest investment, ExxonMobil reinforces its position as a leader in advanced recycling, ensuring that hard-to-recycle plastics are transformed into valuable materials. The initiative not only addresses environmental concerns but also showcases how industry-driven innovation can contribute to a sustainable future.

  Baytown, Beaumont, Cyclyx, ExxonMobil, Karen McKee