Freepoint Eco-Systems LLC has celebrated the groundbreaking of its first commercial-scale advanced plastics recycling facility located in Hebron, Ohio.
The facility will recycle end-of-life waste plastic otherwise destined for landfills or incineration. It will span 25 acres and make use of an existing 260,000-square-foot warehouse. The facility will have the capacity to recycle approximately 90,000 tons of waste plastic per year.
Freepoint uses pyrolysis technology to convert waste plastic into feedstock that will be used to make new plastic products. As a result, less plastic waste is landfilled or incinerated and more oil is left in the ground. Overall, the process reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 percent compared to plastic made from fossil fuels.
Freepoint will create 200 construction jobs in Ohio in 2023 to build the facility, as well as 70 full-time circular economy jobs once the facility begins commercial operations.
"Breaking ground on Freepoint's flagship facility in Ohio marks the next big step in expanding our advanced recycling footprint in the United States and across the globe. From construction to the launch of operations and beyond, the facility will have a positive impact both broadly and in the Ohio community through plastic recycling, job creation and greenhouse gas reductions. Ultimately, we are working to contribute to a more sustainable circular economy," says Jeff McMahon, managing director of Freepoint.
All recycled plastic feedstock produced by the facility will be sold to Shell in connection with a long-term supply agreement signed by Freepoint and Shell earlier this year.
Commercial operations of the facility are expected to begin in the first half of 2024.
