LyondellBasell (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced its decision to cease operation of its Houston Refinery no later than December 31, 2023. In the interim, the Company will continue serving the fuels market, which is expected to remain strong in the near-term, and consider potential transactions and alternatives for the site.
“After thoroughly analyzing our options, we have determined that exiting the refining business by the end of next year is the best strategic and financial path forward for the Company,” said Ken Lane, interim CEO of LyondellBasell. “These decisions are never easy and we understand this has a very real impact on our refinery employees, their families and the community. We are committed to supporting our people through this transition.”
Lane added, “While this was a difficult decision, our exit of the refining business advances the Company’s decarbonization goals, and the site’s prime location gives us more options for advancing our future strategic objectives, including circularity.”
LyondellBasell’s Houston Refinery has a rated capacity to transform 268,000 barrels per day of crude oil into transportation fuels and other products including lubricants, chemical intermediates and petroleum coke.
By Mary Page Bailey
Source: chemengonline.com
The US State of New York is introducing two new bills to combat over-packaging, poor recycling rates and litter issues, including an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program requiring companies such as McDonald’s and Amazon to pay for the cost of packaging disposal and recycling.
The new organization’s mission is to redesign the critical steps of the plastics sorting and recycling system for post-consumer lightweight packaging (LWP) to speed up circularity, born from a need to meet the rising market demand for high-quality recyclates for use in high-end plastic applications.
Starbucks and Hubbub have launched a £1 million (US$1.22 million) “Bring It Back Fund” to increase the uptake of reusable packaging in the F&B industry. The funding will go toward innovative ideas that make it easier for customers to use alternatives to single-use packaging by supporting pilot projects that help shift consumption habits.
