Exxon Mobil continues its plastic recycling push despite legal issues that started last fall. The company plans a major build-up of its waste-processing facilities in the lone-star state (which shows their commitment to eco-friendly solutions)
The oil-and-gas giant will put $200M into its Texas sites to boost what they call circular operations; this investment aims to process 1B pounds of waste in about two years. Their special tech named Exxtend breaks down used plastic into new materials
We sell virgin-quality product and customers can buy certified circular certificate to show that for each ton they purchase‚ we processed same amount of post-use plastic
The companys Baytown site now handles 80M pounds yearly but after planned growth both Baytown and nearby Beaumont will process up to 500M pounds by mid-2026. This happens while Exxon faces claims from California about misleading recycling info - which they dont agree with
Their competitor LyondellBasell also joins the recycling race with similar plans:
- Building new plant in Germany with MoReTec system
- Planning big unit in Houston
- Will close old refinery to make way for new tech
The industry shift shows how big oil firms try to deal with growing plastic waste problems that affect soil and water quality worldwide