Utilization of plastic and rubber waste for the production of alternative liquid fuels and adsorbents with innovative processes within the model of the circular economy and industrial symbiosis

ACTOIL is a partnership between two industry-leading companies in the Balkans (CaO-Hellas, HELLENiQ PETROLEUM S.A.) and two internationally recognized research institutions (CERTH, AUTH) with high-level expertise. The project emerged from the lime industry’s interest in implementing technologies that promote the circular economy, going one step further by integrating new technologies into the conventional processes of the “traditional” industry, with the ultimate goal of reducing environmental footprint and producing value-added materials through the utilization of materials that would otherwise be discarded into the environment at the end of their life cycle.

More specifically, within the framework of the ACTOIL project, the integration of a pyrolysis unit for plastic and end-of-life tire waste into the lime industry was investigated for:

i) the production of low- or zero-sulfur pyrolysis oil, aiming at the production of fuel capable of substituting diesel, and

ii) the production of char, aiming at its activation and use as an adsorbent material for the removal of gaseous pollutants.

Within the scope of these activities, the possibility of “desulfurization” during the pyrolysis of plastic and rubber waste in the presence of lime industry products (based on calcium oxide) was investigated for the in-situ production of desulfurized pyrolysis oils. In addition, the production of mixed materials based on calcium oxide and char/activated carbon derived from pyrolysis was investigated for the development of adsorbent materials with enhanced properties.

Finally, efforts were made to recover heat from key lime industry processes for the preheating of the pyrolysis unit feedstock, as well as to combust pyrolysis off-gases in the lime kiln for the “neutralization” of gaseous pollutants. Particular emphasis was placed on quantifying the environmental benefits, sustainability, and techno-economic feasibility in order to support the further commercial development of the technology and the products generated after the completion of the project.

The successful implementation of ACTOIL contributes to the objectives of the Region of Central Macedonia for promoting investments in the priority sectors of the Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3). The lime industry represents one of the most “traditional” industrial sectors operating in the category of “non-visible” materials (e.g. aggregates, minerals, sand, marble, etc.), producing essential materials that, although often unnoticed, are indispensable in a wide range of applications, including industrial processes (e.g. cement, steel, aluminium, paper, glass, etc.), environmental applications (e.g. pollution control, wastewater treatment), construction and infrastructure projects, as well as agricultural and livestock applications. Lime industry products are so widely used that it is estimated that every European citizen uses approximately 150 g of CaO daily.

However, the lime industry continuously pursues innovation through sustainable production, responsible raw material management, the development of value-added products, the utilization of end-of-life materials, and the recovery and conversion of residues into raw materials for new industrial processes (e.g. conversion of sulfur into calcium sulfate for gypsum board industries).

ACTOIL addressed this continuous demand for innovation by integrating into the lime industry production process a technology capable of utilizing streams and products of the lime industry in combination with low-cost and abundant raw materials (plastic and rubber waste) for the production of valuable alternative fuels (pyrolysis oil and consequently diesel) and adsorbent media for gaseous pollutant removal, thus paving the way for new applications in this “traditional” industrial sector with substantial impact on the environmental footprint of both the products and the process.

HELLENiQ PETROLEUM S.A.’s participation in the project focuses on the evaluation and upgrading of pyrolysis oils through hydrotreatment technologies, aiming at the production of hybrid and alternative transportation fuels with a lower carbon footprint. Through ACTOIL, the company further strengthens its role in developing innovative energy solutions that support the transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy.

The project was co-funded by the European Union and national resources under the “Innovation Investment Plans” Action of the “Central Macedonia” Programme, ESPA 2021–2027.

Project Number: ΚΜΡ6-0283869

Project duration: 08/10/2021 – 07/02/2025

Total project budget: €440,000.00

Public expenditure: €328,500.00