The partnership between Armstrong, Mura Technology and Plastic Oceans UK allows for the sharing of research, findings and technology in the bid to create a plastic neutral society. Our aim is to reprocess all end of life plastics into new, high value and stable hydrocarbon products, turning the tide on the scourge of plastic pollution.
Plastic Oceans UK work with businesses, scientists and policy-makers to highlight the effect of plastic pollution on oceans and wildlife; recognising and endorsing Mura’s Cat-HTR™ technology and its potential to help stop all waste plastic reaching the ocean within a decade, the founding vision of Plastic Oceans UK. Their award-winning Netflix documentary “A Plastic Ocean” was recognised as “one of the most important films of our time” by Sir David Attenborough.
Mura’s Cat-HTR™ chemical recycling technology holds the key to infinitely recycling end-of-life plastic. With over 8 million tonnes of waste plastic reaching the ocean each year, the effects of it on water quality, natural environments and wildlife is evident. Plastic production volume increases year on year, with approximately 350 million tonnes made annually. A huge shift in the approach to plastic recycling and environmental safeguarding is needed.
Our Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR™) uses supercritical water to convert end of life plastic back into hydrocarbon feedstocks (chemicals and waxes) for further use in the petrochemical industry – in essence, turning plastic back into the ingredients from which it was made for the recreation of new hydro carbon products. Mura’s technology offers the solution to moving away from a linear model of produce-consume-dispose to a circular economy model of produce-consume-recycle.
Mura are working with ReNew ELP to develop the first commercial scale Cat-HTR™ plant in the world, at ReNew ELP’s site in Teesside, North East UK. This site will see up to 80,000 tonnes of end-of-life plastic processed through their reactors annually.
Mura also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Timor-Leste. Successful implementation of the technology would make Timor-Leste the first plastic neutral country in the world, while producing revenues to fund environmental and social impact through a not-for-profit company.
Steve Mahon, Mura Technology Director says:
“Our partnership with and endorsement by Plastic Oceans UK ensures a long-term relationship and scientific link between those looking to protect the natural world from the effects of waste plastic, and those that hold the technology to prevent plastic pollution. Whilst our goal is to deliver a business solution to the recycling of waste plastics, we also hold a core principle that we want to produce a positive social and environmental impact where we operate. Our partnership with Plastic Oceans UK is an important part of our business ethos to assist us in measuring our impacts.”
Jo Ruxton, Founder of Plastic Oceans says:
“Having encountered plastic waste in the ocean and on the shorelines of the remotest part of our planet whilst filming for the first BBC Blue Planet series and in subsequent underwater wildlife documentaries, I felt it was time our audiences knew the truth behind those perfect images in our films. During filming for A Plastic Ocean, I witnessed the plastic problem the centres of three oceans and on the most remote islands including Tuvalu in the Pacific. Being there with families who were drowning in plastic waste really made me think about the rest of the world – if Tuvalu was to represent the entire land mass of our planet, might this be a snap-shot of the future for all of us if we don’t stop our ‘addiction’ to single-use plastic?
We are delighted to be supporting Mura and ReNew ELP – their technology deals with plastic waste effectively and without harm to the environment. It is just what we all need to clean up the waste that is already there, impacting on our rivers and coasts and ultimately affecting our health. Being able to clean up and prevent harm sustainably is so important to us and we want the Cat-HTR™ technology to be available globally to recycle plastic back into beneficial use – and not cause pollution for decades to come.”
