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Exxonmobil exxtend technology turns automotive plastic waste into valuable resources

Plastmatch Global Digest 2025-09-02 15:14:36

废塑料汽车零部件

Modern vehicles contain more than 400 pounds of plastic on average, and this number continues to rise. Managing end-of-life vehicle plastics poses complex challenges to the recycling infrastructure.Fahroni/iStock from Getty Images

The scrapped plastics generated by the automotive industry pose complex challenges to recycling and waste management systems. Modern vehicles are made up of about 10% plastic, and according to the American Chemistry Council, this figure continues to rise. Each car contains an average of over 400 pounds of plastic, and the global industry generates approximately 5.6 million tons of plastic waste annually.

Waste in the automotive industry stems from several major sources:

Manufacturing and distributor waste.This includes not only reusable containers and transparent films, but also various types of packaging made from different plastics. This limits the practical recycling opportunities that rely on small quantities of a single commodity type and the high level of sorting required by factories or distributors, who often lack the space or available personnel. The mixed plastics market is the most likely destination for these materials.

Collision fragments. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that the incident could cause plastic components to fragment and heterogenize, making them difficult to collect and process.

End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV).They generate a large amount of degrading and polluting plastics, which may be difficult to recycle in a usable form.

Moreover, the existing automotive waste collection infrastructure is fragmented, leading to further challenges. These factors and the complex supply chain make the effective recycling of automotive plastics both urgent and complicated.

Collaborate with original equipment manufacturers.

ExxonMobil is taking a proactive approach to addressing this challenge through a comprehensive strategy centered around collaboration, innovation, and its proprietary Exxtend advanced recycling technology. The company is working closely with original equipment manufacturers to understand the specific types and sources of plastic waste generated throughout the vehicle lifecycle.

By characterizing these waste materials—from manufacturing scrap to ELV (End-of-Life Vehicle) components—ExxonMobil can assess their potential as feedstock for advanced recycling through recovery programs. The company is evaluating an ongoing pilot program for automotive plastic waste management and exploring scalable and efficient recycling solutions.

A key component of the plan is ExxonMobil's collaboration withCyclyx collaboration, Cyclyx It is a joint venture focused on developing cost-effective commercial recycling solutions tailored to the unique properties of automotive plastics. These efforts, combined with mechanical recycling, aim to divert plastic waste from the automotive industry that would otherwise be landfilled, supporting the transition toward a more circular economy.

Unlocking the Hidden Value of Plastic Waste

Addressing automotive plastic waste requires a shift in mindset—from viewing it as a disposal problem to seeing it as a valuable resource. These materials can be remanufactured into new high-quality products, such as fuels, lubricants, and plastics, instead of ending up in landfills. By unlocking the hidden value of automotive plastics and investing in advanced recycling technologies, the automotive and polymer industries can transform waste into opportunity. Collaboration across the entire value chain—between manufacturers, recyclers, and policymakers—is essential to realizing this potential.

ExxonMobil and advanced recycling

ExxonMobil announced plans to invest over $200 million to expand its...Located in TexasBaytown and BeaumontAdvanced recycling capability of the factoryIn April 2025, the company launched a second advanced recycling facility in Baytown, capable of processing up to 80 million pounds of plastic annually, effectively doubling ExxonMobil's existing advanced recycling capacity. Looking ahead, ExxonMobil aims to significantly expand its efforts by building more facilities, with the goal of achieving a global advanced recycling capacity of 1 billion pounds per year.

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Exxonmobil exxtend technology turns automotive plastic waste into valuable resources

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