"Oil Extracted from Waste Plastic"... GS Caltex Launches Pilot Project

Huh Se-hong, CEO of GS Caltex

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] GS Caltex announced on the 22nd that it will use pyrolysis oil derived from waste plastic in its petroleum refining process. The company expects this to replace carbon-based raw materials, enhancing resource efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.

As part of the waste plastic pyrolysis oil demonstration project, the first step is to introduce about 50 tons into the upgrading facility at the Yeosu plant. This is the first time pyrolysis oil will be used in an upgrading facility in South Korea. Depending on the results of the demonstration project, GS Caltex plans to build a new production facility for waste plastic pyrolysis oil with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons, aiming for operation in 2024. The company has set a goal to eventually expand this capacity to 1 million tons.

Waste plastic undergoes pretreatment and chemical recycling processes such as pyrolysis to be converted into liquid raw material called pyrolysis oil. Typically, crude oil is refined to produce petroleum products or petrochemical raw materials, but in this case, pyrolysis oil produced from waste plastic is used to recycle resources. Huh Se-hong, CEO of GS Caltex, said, "It is important to shift from a linear economy that takes waste generation for granted to a circular economy through upcycling. It is essential to use limited resources sparingly and minimize environmental impact."

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