MOL transforms plastic waste into high-quality polymers as part of SHAPE TOMORROW strategy

MOL transforms plastic waste into high-quality polymers as part of SHAPE TOMORROW strategy

(IN BRIEF) MOL Group has successfully completed its first ISCC PLUS-certified production run using post-consumer plastic waste-based circular feedstock at its Tiszaújváros site. The pilot marks a breakthrough in the company’s SHAPE TOMORROW strategy, proving its ability to produce polyethylene and polypropylene from circular sources through a certified mass balance process. Building on ISCC PLUS certifications gained in 2024 in Hungary and Slovakia, MOL is accelerating its transformation toward circular chemicals with the aim of utilizing up to 1.5 million tonnes of circular feedstock by 2030. Backed by waste management operations, plastics recycling investments, and chemical recycling partnerships, the company is positioning itself as a Central and Eastern European leader in sustainable petrochemicals.

(PRESS RELEASE) BUDAPEST, 19-Seo-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — MOL Group has taken an important step forward in its SHAPE TOMORROW strategy by completing its first ISCC PLUS-certified production run using circular feedstock at its MOL Petrochemicals site in Tiszaújváros, Hungary. The pilot test proved that post-consumer plastic waste can be transformed into new, high-quality polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), marking a major milestone in the company’s ambition to embed circular economy principles into its petrochemical operations.

“This successful test shows that MOL Group can now process circular feedstocks according to ISCC PLUS certified process, turning plastic waste into new, high-value products,” said Péter Császár, Senior Vice President, MOL Group Chemicals. “It is a significant step towards sustainable petrochemicals and strengthens our position as a leading circular economy player in Central and Eastern Europe.”

The pilot involved introducing waste-based circular feedstock into MOL’s steam cracker to produce circular monomers—the building blocks of plastics—which were then polymerized into circular-based products. This process applied the mass balance approach, a methodology that accounts for the use of circular materials alongside traditional inputs and ensures transparency in the overall material flow.

This achievement builds on the ISCC PLUS certifications awarded in 2024 to MOL Petrochemicals in Tiszaújváros and Slovnaft in Bratislava for their steam cracker and polymerization units. It also demonstrates how MOL is aligning waste management, chemical recycling, and petrochemical production within its broader SHAPE TOMORROW strategy. The company has set the goal of utilizing up to 1.5 million tonnes of waste-derived feedstock for the energy industry by 2030. This ambition is supported by investments in plastics recycling in Hungary, partnerships focused on chemical recycling technologies, and a concession to manage municipal waste in the country.

MOL Group plans to continue testing other forms of circular feedstock while developing innovative processes to expand the use of waste as a valuable raw material in plastics manufacturing. This effort strengthens the company’s role as a regional leader in sustainable petrochemicals and supports the transition to a circular economy in Central and Eastern Europe.

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Phone: +36 1 209 0000
email: @: internationalpress@mol.hu

SOURCE: MOL Group