BioBTX, a Dutch developer of circular chemistry technologies, is set to build the world’s first commercial-scale plant using its proprietary Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process (ICCP) to convert mixed plastic waste into aromatic chemicals. The plant will be located at Chemical Park Delfzijl in the northern Netherlands and is expected to create around 35 new jobs. It will process approximately 20,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste annually, providing an alternative to waste streams that would otherwise be sent for incineration or landfill.
BioBTX’s ICCP technology uses catalytic pyrolysis to convert mixed plastic waste into aromatic oil containing benzene, toluene and xylenes (B-T-X). These chemicals are widely used as basic building blocks in the production of coatings, pharmaceuticals, performance materials and other chemical products.
The materials can also be used in the production of isocyanates such as MDI and TDI, which are used in products including flexible foam for mattresses and rigid foam for refrigerator insulation. Covestro has been a shareholder and strategic partner of BioBTX since 2024. The company has invested a mid-single-digit million-euro amount in the Groningen-based technology developer.
Dr Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer, Covestro, said the project represents an important step towards proving BioBTX’s technology on an industrial scale. He noted that the ability to process mixed plastic waste, rather than relying only on highly sorted waste streams, is important for expanding recycling at commercial scale.
The plant is expected to recycle approximately 20,000 tonnes of waste each year, producing around 10,000 tonnes of renewable aromatic oil and approximately 8,000 tonnes of sustainable by-products. Compared with conventional fossil-based BTX production, the resulting chemical building blocks are expected to have 70% to 80% lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Ton Vries, Co-founder and CEO, BioBTX, said the investment marks a major milestone for the company and its 14-year development journey, which began with the initial concept in 2012 and progressed through laboratory and pilot projects to commercial-scale production.
The ICCP technology is designed to be flexible in terms of feedstock. While the first commercial facility will focus on mixed plastic waste, the technology could potentially be adapted to other feedstocks, including biomass. The Delfzijl project is intended to support the development of a circular plastics and chemicals value chain by returning waste-derived materials to industrial production. It also demonstrates the potential for advanced recycling technologies to supplement existing mechanical recycling methods for waste streams that are difficult to process.
Covestro is a global manufacturer of polymer materials and their components, supplying customers in sectors including mobility, construction, electrical and electronics, healthcare, sports and leisure, and telecommunications. The company is focused on advancing the circular economy and aims to achieve climate neutrality for Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035, with a target of climate neutrality for Scope 3 emissions by 2050. Covestro reported sales of €12.9 billion in 2025, operated 46 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,600 people at the end of 2025.
