Microwave Chemical and Mitsubishi Chemical have agreed to build a demonstration plant to commercialize acrylic resin chemical recycling

Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd.

Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd., Head office: Suita-city, Osaka; CEO: Iwao Yoshino; (“Microwave Chemical”), Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masayuki Waga (“MCC”) and its subsidiary Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates Ltd., Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Hitoshi Sasaki (“MCM”) have agreed to build a demonstration plant in June 2021 at the site of Microwave Chemical in Osaka to jointly develop and commercialize the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, “acrylic resin”) chemical recycling process.

Acrylic resin is a plastic product with excellent transparency and light resistance used for a wide range of products, including vehicle headlight covers, sign boards, water tanks in aquaria, paints, and construction materials. The annual global market for acrylic resin is over 3 million tons and recently demand for acrylic resin sheet for protection against droplet infection has been increasing worldwide.

Microwave Chemical’s novel microwave platform technology and expertise in the chemical industry will be applied to chemical recycling of acrylic resin to replace conventional fossil fuel-based systems.  This process enables us to save energy, improve safety, and enable a smaller footprint compared with conventional methods.

MCC plans to establish a commercial recycling facility for acrylic resin, aiming to start its operation in 2024. Microwave Chemical will continue to provide technical cooperation to MCC for commercialization.

MMA (methyl methacrylate) obtained through this process and acrylic resin made from the recycled MMA retain the same level of quality as conventional products. In comparison to conventional petrochemical feedstock-based systems, the CO₂ emissions through the production process is expected to be reduced by over 70%, which dramatically contributes to reducing the environmental impact.

At Microwave Chemical, we place microwaves as one of the key technologies to achieve Net Zero. We will accelerate commercialization of our technology through collaboration with our industrial partners to introduce microwave technology in manufacturing processes, including chemical recycling.

【About Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd】

Established in 2007, Microwave Chemical is technology-based startup which is enhancing and improving conventional manufacturing processes by utilizing microwave technology to develop new materials, which are difficult to produce with conventional manufacturing methods. The technology is applicable to a wide range of regions such as pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, food and fuel, and the company has ongoing collaborative R&D and commercialization projects with domestic and foreign companies. 

【About Microwaves 】

Microwaves are an electromagnetic wave which is frequently used for microwave oven and communication applications, which can transfer energy to materials directly and selectively.  As microwaves can be generated from renewable energy sources, this technology is environmentally friendly, which promotes a reduction of CO2 emissions.