“Our collaboration with Mondelēz illustrates our shared vision for the future and highlights our ability to provide innovative, high-quality circular solutions tailored to demanding specifications,” says Yvonne van der Laan, executive vice president, Sustainable Solutions and Technology Business, LYB. “We’re committed to making circular and low-carbon solutions work for businesses while creating solutions for everyday sustainable living.”

Scaling circular polymers through the LYB integrated ecosystem

As LYB continues to expand its circular solutions, the company plans to supply future polymers for Marabou packaging through MoReTec-1, its first commercial-scale catalytic chemical recycling plant under construction in Wesseling, Germany. Once operational, MoReTec-1 will strengthen access to circular feedstock within the LYB integrated ecosystem, which connects advanced sorting and recycling infrastructure with the company’s existing crackers and polymerization assets.

“This collaboration demonstrates how LYB can connect chemical recycling innovation with the scale and reach of our existing production network,” says LYB CEO Peter Vanacker. “As we advance MoReTec-1, we expect the facility to support future polymer supply for Marabou packaging and strengthen our ability to convert hard-to-recycle plastic waste into circular feedstocks for our existing assets.”

Once operational, the MoReTec-1 facility is designed to produce 50,000 metric tons of feedstock annually for use in existing LYB production units, enabling the production of recycled polymers. Source One Plastics, an LYB joint venture located in Eicklingen, Germany, processes mixed plastic waste into feedstock suitable for chemical recycling, supporting future supply to MoReTec-1. LYB currently sources recycled feedstock for CirculenRevive polymer production from third-party pyrolysis oil producers.

Collaborating across the packaging value chain

Solutions like the Marabou chocolate bar packaging depend on collaboration across the value chain to help advance a more circular economy for plastics, LYB notes. LYB supplies the circular polymers, Taghleef Industries develops the base film, and Amcor converts the material into the final flexible packaging solution for Mondelēz.

“Looking ahead, our ambition is to increase the use of recycled plastic in our packaging materials, and we’re proud to collaborate with multiple value chain players—including LYB and other industry leaders—on this journey,” says Richard Akkermans, packaging sustainability manager at Mondelēz International. “For consumers, the message is simple: plastic packaging can be recycled and allocated back into new food packaging. This initiative shows what becomes possible when brand owners, recyclers, packaging material producers, and converters work together to turn circular ambition into commercial reality.” 

Meeting brand-owner demand for circular packaging solutions

The collaboration reflects growing demand from brand owners for high-performance circular polymers that can support recycled-content goals while delivering the quality required for flexible food packaging, LYB says.

The new packaging supports progress toward European recycling ambitions and readiness for anticipated recycled-content requirements under the European Union Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). “Chemical recycling can help address flexible packaging waste, which has historically proven challenging to recycle into materials suitable for food packaging,” LYB adds.

How CirculenRevive supports solutions

CirculenRevive polymers are created by converting hard-to-recycle mixed plastic waste into feedstock for polymer production through a chemical recycling process, LYB comments. LYB uses these feedstocks in existing production processes—displacing fossil-based feedstocks—and attributes them to end products through an ISCC PLUS-certified mass balance approach.

The resulting polymers aim to offer a drop-in, virgin-quality solution that allows brand owners to incorporate recycled content while maintaining performance and compliance with regulatory requirements.

To learn more about the LYB full portfolio of circular and low-carbon solutions, visit lyb.com/circulen.

Mondelēz International is on the current Candy Industry “Global Top 100 Candy Companies” list. Click here to view the current “Global Top 100” rankings.