SynPet Confirms €300M Circular Plastics Recycling Plant in Antwerp

Architectural rendering of Synpet Technologies’ planned chemical recycling plant. Photo Credit: Synpet Technologies

According to announcements from SynPet Technologies and information released by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the Belgium-based company will invest €300 million to build its first commercial-scale facility designed to convert mixed, untreated plastic waste into circular feedstocks. The development is expected to reinforce Antwerp’s emerging role as a hub for advanced recycling technologies.

Company disclosures indicate that the plant will process around 250,000 tonnes of mixed plastic waste each year using SynPet’s proprietary Thermal Conversion Process (TCP®). The technology uses high pressure, water, and multi-stage thermal cracking to break down all carbon-based plastics—including materials unsuitable for mechanical recycling or conventional pyrolysis—without requiring pre-sorting or pre-treatment. According to the company, the process yields a circular naphtha substitute (CNS®) that meets European steam cracker specifications and can be blended directly into petrochemical feedstocks.

The project builds on more than a decade of research into solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics. SynPet reports that the Antwerp plant will generate renewable natural gas and operate largely using energy recovered from its own processing streams, reducing reliance on external power and enabling near-self-sufficient operations.

Strategic partners have also been involved in advancing the project. Swiss petrochemical company Kolmar Group AG, which supported SynPet during its early development phases, will serve as the marketing partner for the new facility. Local sources suggest that the investment could generate more than one hundred direct and indirect jobs, contributing to regional growth in the circular-economy sector.

In official statements, SynPet CEO Cem Özsüer said the project shows how “plastic can be part of the solution,” highlighting Antwerp’s combination of industrial scale and innovation capacity. Kolmar Group AG CEO Ruth Sandelowsky noted that SynPet’s approach broadens the scope of recycling technologies available to European industry, while Port of Antwerp-Bruges CEO Jacques Vandermeiren said the initiative strengthens the port’s ambition to become a leader in circular transformation.

The project comes at a time when Europe is preparing to implement tighter waste, packaging, and recycling requirements. Policy analysts note that demand for compliant recycled content is rising as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) moves toward enforcement, while supply remains limited. Observers say technologies capable of processing hard-to-treat plastics are increasingly seen as essential for meeting future targets. Antwerp’s established logistics networks and industrial base provide direct access to both waste streams and downstream chemical markets, making it a strategically advantageous location for the facility.

Project timelines indicate that SynPet’s Antwerp plant is expected to reach full operational capacity in the second half of 2028. Industry analysts suggest that, once online, it may become one of Europe’s most advanced waste-to-feedstock conversion sites, contributing to broader efforts to scale circular and lower-carbon plastics systems.

Source: SynPet Technologies

SUNSHINE Spotlight: The €300 million investment highlights rising market confidence in circular feedstock solutions as European manufacturers seek secure, compliant supply chains.