Chandigarh-based startup PolyCycl has launched its patented chemical recycling technology aimed at addressing the growing plastic waste problem. This fully indigenous innovation, developed over a decade, enables the conversion of single-use and hard-to-recycle plastics into food-grade polymers, renewable chemicals, and sustainable fuels, according to the company.
The technology offers a closed-loop recycling solution, preventing commonly used plastics, such as polyolefin packaging, from ending up in landfills or incinerators. Instead, it allows them to be continuously recycled without any loss in quality.
PolyCycl’s technology combines its patented ContiFlow Cracker™—a fully continuous thermo-chemical pyrolysis process—with PyOilClean™ refining technology. The process breaks down waste plastics into liquified hydrocarbon oils, which are further purified to remove contaminants. The resulting chemical feedstocks can be used by petrochemical and hydrocarbon industries to produce new low-carbon materials, including circular polymers.
“India generates over 10.2 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with over 40 per cent being single-use plastics such as grocery bags and flexible packaging,” said Amit Tandon, founder and CEO of PolyCycl in Bengaluru. “Traditional recycling methods struggle to process this waste, leading to environmental hazards. Our technology breaks plastics down to their molecular building blocks, which can then be reconstituted to create high-quality, virgin-like materials. With conversion yields of 65-75 per cent, our technology has already been validated by multiple global petrochemical companies,” he added.
