Repsol and Acteco join forces to boost the circular economy

The two companies will develop a project to increase the capacity of the recycled materials production plant that Acteco owns in Alicante.
The recycled products from this plant will be included in the polyolefins of the Repsol Reciclex range, designed for high-value applications and those with high technical requirements.
The circular economy is one of the key levers for Repsol to reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. In line with this objective, 20% of the production of polyolefins will come from high quality recycled plastics by 2030.
Repsol and Acteco have been working together since 2018 to promote new circular economy models for materials.

Press release

12 August 2020 - 10:30 CEST PDF 172 KB Download

Repsol and Acteco will implement a project to increase the capacity for production of high quality recycled polyolefins at Acteco’s plant in Ibi, Alicante (Spain). The recycled product from this plant will be included in the Repsol Reciclex range, designed for high-value applications and those with high technical requirements.

Thanks to this agreement, Repsol will benefit from Acteco’s more than 25 years of experience in the collection, processing, and mechanical recycling of plastics.

Additionally, it will contribute to the achievement of the objective, announced by Repsol at the end of 2019, to become a net zero emissions company by 2050. Repsol was the first company in its sector to set this ambitious goal, and to reach it the Chemicals business is committed to the efficiency in its industrial processes and the circular economy. One of the ambitions in this area, which is driven by the project announced today, is to recycle the equivalent of 20% of its polyolefin production by 2030.

The partnership with Acteco is one of more than 200 circular economy initiatives that Repsol has launched to contribute to its carbon intensity reduction objectives. Both entities have been working together since 2018 to promote new circular economy models through the recovery of polymers after the end of their useful lives and their re-incorporation into new high added-value products in sectors such as automotive, healthcare, construction and infrastructures, or packaging. This way, it is possible to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and decrease the consumption of raw materials used for manufacture of new products.

This new agreement reinforces the partnership and consolidates the commitment of both companies to the recycling of high quality polyethylene and polypropylene from domestic and industrial plastic waste.

In the words of José Luis Bernal, Executive Director of Repsol Chemicals, “this is a strategic alliance that allows us to collaborate in boosting the circular economy and solutions for decarbonization, to reach our commitments regarding recycled plastics and offer our customers a complete range of high quality circular polyolefins that will allow them to increase the amount of recycled materials in their products”.

Jorge Ramis, Managing Director of Acteco, says that "thanks to this agreement we will provide a solution for the large number of plastic products that currently cannot be recycled, thus offering circular models to sectors where plastic is an essential material for the development of the products.”

Repsol and the circular economy

Repsol has had a circular economy strategy since 2016. It applies throughout the entire value chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to the commercialization of products and services. The company currently runs more than 200 circular economy projects which it is implementing in collaboration with over 180 strategic partner companies, organisations, and institutions. These alliances allow for the necessary synergies to be created to accelerate the implementation of circular solutions. Some of these initiatives include obtaining circular polyolefins through the chemical recycling of low quality plastics or the development of a technology for the recycling of polyurethane foam used in cushions and furniture.