Skip to main content

Circular and Low Carbon Solutions: The LYB journey to a circular economy

Putting circularity on the right track: How LYB is leading industry efforts to grow a circular economy

 

What does it take to build a profitable circular and low-carbon solutions business? For Yvonne van der Laan, executive vice president of Circular and Low Carbon Solutions (CLCS) at LYB, the answer is a mix of expertise, long-term commitment and the kind of innovation that can only come from an industry leader.

In the first episode of a LYB podcast miniseries on CLCS, host Deepi Sidhu sat down with Yvonne about why she's energized by the role LYB is playing in reshaping the plastics value chain — and the unexpected train ride that sparked her own CLCS journey.

Yvonne reflected on her path as the first in her family to attend university, her academic training as an economist and the career steps that led her to heading up the CLCS group at LYB. She explained how she joined the company just as CLCS was taking shape — and how that group has since grown into one of the three pillars of the company's broader strategy.

Yvonne also highlighted how her team is working to advance a circular economy for plastics, from creating integrated hubs that secure steady streams of recycled waste to reintegrating those materials through the company's Circulen portfolio of recycled and renewable-based polymers.

Other highlights included a discussion of advanced recycling technologies, including the MoReTec-1 facility in Wesseling, Germany — the industry's first single-train, 50-kiloton unit to chemically convert plastic waste into high-quality polymer at scale.

Looking ahead, Yvonne shared early insights into plans for a second MoReTec project, which would double MoReTec-1's production capacity, and reflected on why she's excited to help LYB scale sustainable solutions that meet growing customer demands.

 

 

Host(s): Deepi Sidhu, LYB Content & Social Media Manager, Sustainability & Corporate Affairs

Guest(s): Yvonne van der Laan, executive vice president of CLCS at LYB

Duration: 23:00

Release Date: 11/14/2024

Listen to the audio version

Yvonne's interview covered several key topics

 

Time

Topic

02:16

How a degree in economics kickstarted her chemical industry career in her native Netherlands

06:12

How a train ride started her journey in developing a strategy for the MoReTec catalytic chemical recycling technology

08:24

Why it was so important for LYB to establish the Circular and Low Carbon Solutions (CLCS) business and commit to its growth

10:33

How LYB is helping to create and support a value chain for plastic waste to build a circular economy

13:42

How initiatives like the integrated hub model are helping LYB build a market for renewable and recycled content

16:19

The critical role the Circulen portfolio of recycled and renewable-based polymers plays in helping build a circular economy

18:04

What the MoReTec plant in Wessling, Germany means for the future of the CLCS business

21:37

Future plans for MoReTec, including scaling up the technology to produce up to 100 kilotons of chemically recycled feedstock in a single train

Tune in & stay informed

Follow the LYB Podcast to hear from engineers, innovators, and business leaders on materials, sustainability, and technology shaping the industry.