Published October 2023
Plastic recycling processes by feedstock recycling are at various stages of commercialization. Feedstock recycling pertains to any thermal processes that converts plastics into simpler molecules. Thermal depolymerization of plastic waste typically uses pyrolysis or gasification to produce liquid and/or gaseous fuel or raw material such as naphtha and syngas for the petrochemical industry. Other potential products, especially higher value products, from plastic waste are being investigated. Gasification of plastic waste to produce hydrogen using the Ebara Ube Process, which is then used to produce low-carbon ammonia has been commercialized at Showa Denko's Kawasaki Plant (started up 2003). Recently, new projects for plastic waste to hydrogen have been announced. Hyundai Engineering Co. plans to spend $336 million (The Korean Economic Daily, Dec. 22, 2021) to build a plant capable of processing 100,000 metric tons per year of plastic waste to produce 22,000 metric tons of hydrogen by a pyrolysis-gasification process (proposed start-up 2024). JGC Holdings (formerly Japan Gasoline Co.), automobile maker Toyota Tsusho (Japan), and industrial gas company Iwatani (Japan) are jointly exploring building a new hydrogen production plant based on the Ebara Ube Process. The German company H2-Industries plans to build a $1.4 billion waste-to-hydrogen plant in conjunction with 300 MW solar power plant in Oman and also a $4 billion waste-to-hydrogen plant in Egypt. The waste includes non-recyclable plastics.
In this report, we will review the current industrial status of hydrogen production from plastic waste. A brief technology overview of various processes to produce hydrogen from plastic waste will be presented. A more in-depth review including techno-economic evaluations of hydrogen production from plastic waste based on (1) gasification of plastic waste using the Ebara Ube Process, (2) a large-scale pyrolysis-catalytic steam reforming-water gas shift process, and (3) a small-scale pyrolysis-catalytic steam reforming process will be included.