Plastic Energy TAC Chemical Recycling Technology

Plastic Energy is a chemical recycling technology company founded in 2012 and headquartered in London, with staff in the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Spain and France. It converts end-of-life plastics that mechanical recycling cannot handle into a feedstock that replaces fossil oil in making new plastics.

In the patented TAC process, plastic is melted and pumped into reactors, heated without oxygen into hydrocarbon vapours, filtered in a contactor and condensed into a recycled oil called TACOIL, which petrochemical partners use to produce virgin-quality polymers. The company sells complete licensing packages, with Axens as licensing partner, covering feasibility, feedstock trials, plant design, training, automation and operational support. It runs two plants in Spain and a joint venture with SABIC in the Netherlands.

• TAC pyrolysis process: plastic is heated without oxygen and condensed into TACOIL feedstock.
• Contactor filtration: selects molecular chains to improve oil quality before condensation.
• Licensing package: commercial and technical assessment, feedstock trials and plant design support.
• Axens partnership: integrated chain with Axens Rewind Mix purification technology.
• Digital services and automation: real-time control across reactors to optimise TAC plants.
• Operational support: training, maintenance regime and continuous improvement for licensed plants.

Vietnamese refineries and petrochemical complexes can license TAC units to produce circular feedstock for recycled polymers. Packaging and FMCG groups can secure offtake of certified circular plastics for food packaging. Waste management companies can supply sorted flexible plastic waste as feedstock under long-term contracts.

Licensees can recycle mixed and flexible plastics that are otherwise landfilled or incinerated into feedstock for virgin-quality polymers. TACOIL was the first pyrolysis oil to be REACH registered, plants are ISCC+ certified, and it has end-of-waste status. Automated process control targets at least 90% availability for licensed plants. The technology has processed over 40,000 tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastics.

Petrochemical companies in Asia are investing in chemical recycling to supply recycled-content polymers for packaging brands, as shown by PETRONAS Chemicals' licensed plant in Johor, Malaysia. Vietnam's EPR rules and large volumes of low-value flexible plastic waste make pyrolysis-based recycling a candidate technology for refineries and industrial zones.

Founded in 2012, headquartered in London, with about 200 employees. Plants in Almeria (2016) and Seville (2017); the SPEAR joint venture with SABIC produced first oil in 2025. In 2023 PETRONAS Chemicals signed a licence for a 33 ktpa plant in Pengerang, Malaysia. In 2026 the company completed an administration process under new ownership, with founder Carlos Monreal returning as CEO, and transferred its TEPEAR stake to TotalEnergies.