ExxonMobil halts €100m recycling projects in Antwerp and Rotterdam
ExxonMobil has suspended planned investments in chemical recycling projects at the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam, citing Europe’s lack of competitiveness for major industrial projects.
The two initiatives, worth around 100 million euros, were intended to process plastic waste into recycled products. In Antwerp, approval to handle 40,000 tonnes of plastic was only granted this summer, but the company’s final investment decision never came through.
Jack Williams, ExxonMobil’s senior vice-president, said stricter European rules on plastics made the projects “economically unviable”. Talking to De Tijd, he criticised the EU’s approach, arguing it favours traditional mechanical recycling over chemical recycling, which can handle more complex waste streams.
He also voiced concerns over other EU regulations, such as the new corporate due diligence law, which he described as overly complex and burdensome.
The decision comes as speculation grows over the future of ExxonMobil’s wider European operations. Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported that some of the group’s Belgian sites, which employ around 2,000 people, could face closure or sale.
#FlandersNewsService | ExxonMobil in Antwerp © BELGA PHOTO JONAS VAN BOXEL