PolyCycl, a startup focused on circular economy solutions, has introduced its patented Contiflow Cracker Generation VI, a chemical recycling pyrolysis technology. This indigenous innovation tackles India’s growing plastic waste crisis by converting hard-to-recycle plastics, such as single-use grocery bags and food-contaminated packaging, into food-grade polymers, renewable chemicals, and sustainable fuels.
The Generation VI technology is secured by multiple international patents. Contiflow Cracker merges the company’s continuous thermo-chemical pyrolysis process with its unique PyOilClean refining technology. This combination transforms low-grade plastics into liquefied hydrocarbon oils, which are purified to eliminate contaminants like halogens and hetero-atoms. The resulting chemical feedstocks serve as versatile raw materials for the petrochemical industry, enabling the production of various premium low-carbon materials, including circular polymers.
Amit Tandon, Founder and CEO of PolyCycl, noted that India generates over 10 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with more than 40% consisting of single-use plastics. He emphasized that conventional recycling methods often fail to manage this waste effectively, leading to clogged drains, littered streets, and polluted waterways.
PolyCycl’s technology breaks down thin plastics into their molecular building blocks (oligomers), which can then be reconstituted into new virgin-quality materials. The system achieves impressive conversion rates of 65-75% and produces chemical feedstocks recognized for their suitability in the circular economy by numerous global petrochemical companies.
The technology’s patented continuous process design allows for scalable development, enabling modular lines capable of processing between 15 and 100 tonnes of plastic per day. This innovative approach also offers substantial cost efficiencies, with capital expenditures significantly lower—up to one-half to one-fourth—compared to competing technologies in Europe and the US, while maintaining project EBITDA above 50%. PolyCycl’s initiative aims to create a closed-loop recycling system, allowing commonly used plastics to be continuously recycled without degradation in quality, eliminating the need for down-cycling, incineration, or landfilling at the end of their life.
