A Scottish startup innovating in plastic dissolution recycling has secured fresh funding to allow it to scale its plastic recycling technology from pilot plant to commercial operation over the next three years.

Livingston-based ReVentas’ new recycling technology aims to tackle two of the most common plastics in use today, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which make up over 50% of all plastic produced.

Using a chemical solvent to rapidly dissolve PE and PP, then filtering the plastic of all contaminants including colour and odour, ReVentas are able to produce a natural ‘like-new’ plastic which can be sold directly to end customers, with recycled material replacing virgin plastic rather than being downcycled into low-value applications.

With 390 million tonnes of plastics produced annually, but recycling rates hovering around 9% globally, it’s hoped that ReVentas’ solution will help reduce the cost of production, making recycling more economically viable, whilst achieving an 80% reduction in carbon emissions over virgin plastic production.

“EU regulations mandate that 10% of packaging materials must come from recycled sources by 2030,” said Marek Garniewski, president of the management board at Orlen VC, one of the firms backing ReVentas.

“However, Europe faces significant shortages of high-quality secondary raw materials suitable for reuse in production. Meeting this obligation will be a challenge, but we see it as a business opportunity. 

“Through this latest investment in cutting-edge recycling technology, we aim to leverage it effectively.”

As well as Orlen VC, the Series A fundraising included Beiersdorf Venture Capital and Scottish Enterprise, which will now join LG Chem as strategic partners of ReVentas to support the scale-up of the firm’s technology. 

With the funding secured, ReVentas plans to accelerate the development of its first commercial 10,000 tonne per annum plant, planned for operation in 2027, with an additional 140,000 tonnes planned to be brought online by 2031.

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“This investment marks a major milestone for ReVentas and in moving the recycling of plastic forward,” said Tom Rose, CEO of ReVentas. 

“Plastics are an essential part of our world, but so far, the industry has failed to provide workable solutions at scale to deal with the impact they have on our environment. 

“ReVentas are providing a simple solution which can change this, ensuring the waste we produce today, can and will be directly used in the products we buy tomorrow.”