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Mura and KBR Announce First Hydro-PRT Licence with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Japan
16 June 2021
Mura Technology and KBR are pleased today to announce the first licence agreement with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, a core company of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings (MCHC) Group, to deploy the Hydro-PRT process in Japan to help keep plastic waste out of the environment and create a new circular plastics economy.
MCC has conducted a detailed study into the feasibility of Mura’s Hydro-PRT (Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Technology) process, which has concluded in this first licence. Mura’s global licensing partner, KBR, have provided engineering support on the project feasibility with MCC.
"We are at the tipping point of an environmental catastrophe with plastic pollution, let alone the carbon emission caused by extracting fossil fuels to make virgin plastics. We need solutions today, at scale, that can provide a real sustainable solution for global industry and the largest consumer brands. That’s why we’re taking a global–first approach – to scale fast and meet the challenge head on. There is no time to waste. This first global licence with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is demonstration of the potential of our alliance with KBR to provide a win-win for the environment, economy and society, helping keep our environment free from plastic and oil where it belongs – in the ground.”
Dr Steve Mahon
Although Japan currently recycles 84% of its plastic waste1, the majority of this is combusted to create energy from waste and is not reprocessed back into the plastics supply chain2. Mura’s advanced recycling process offers a deliverable solution for Japan to meet its 2030 goal of reducing disposable plastic waste by 25%.
With Mura’s process there is no anticipated limit to the number of times the same material can be recycled – meaning it has the potential to significantly reduce plastics being used once and make the raw ingredients for a circular plastics economy. In addition, advanced recycling processes are expected to save approximately 1.5 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of plastic recycled, compared to incineration of unrecycled plastics3.
"KBR is proud to be Mura’s exclusive licensing partner for this breakthrough technology. Over the past few months, we have seen tremendous interest in HydroPRS™ from many leading companies worldwide and we are excited by MCC’s decision to be an early adopter to achieve their sustainability objectives.”
Doug Kelly
KBR President, Technology
The agreement with MCC, Mura’s first international licence, is the latest milestone in the company’s rapid global rollout that will see one million tonnes of advanced recycling annual capacity in operation or development worldwide by 2025. It is the first agreement signed as part of Mura’s partnership with KBR, announced earlier this year, and comes less than two months after Mura announced a partnership with Dow Chemicals, the global leader in materials science.
The deal forms a blueprint for other Asian countries to follow. Additional sites are also planned in the U.S. and Germany. The world’s first plant using Mura’s innovative solution is in development in Teesside, UK, with plans to place 20,000 tonnes of recycled hydrocarbon products onto the market annually expected to be operational in 2024. Mura is continuing to raise funds to drive further expansion and is in discussions with a range of global investors.
"This new licence agreement between MCC, Mura Technology and KBR comes at a pivotal time for the natural environment, as we face a plastic pollution crisis. MCC is committed to developing and introducing new and innovative technologies into plastic waste infrastructure and following our research and feasibility study into the HydroPRS™ process, we feel this agreement is an extremely positive step towards our sustainability goals. The scalable nature of the process and its ability to recycle a much broader scope of plastic is fundamental to the future of plastic recycling and we are very pleased to be working with both Mura and KBR.”
Shigeru Handa
Chief Operating Officer, Basic Materials Domain, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
About Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Mitsubishi Chemical, as a core operating company of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group, seeks to provide solutions to environmental and social issues and to contribute to the sustainable development of people, society and the Earth through its businesses built on a foundation of chemistry. In this way, we aim to realize KAITEKI- a condition that contributes to sustainable development that is optimal for people, society, and the Earth.
Visit https://www.m-chemical.co.jp/en/
1. Statista (2021)
2. Statista (2021)
3. Independent analysis by CE Delft, the independent research and consultancy organisation specialised in developing innovative solutions to environmental problems (2020)
