Cologne is emerging as a key player in the European recycling industry, with major investments paving the way for innovative plastic waste processing solutions. The chemical giant Lyondell-Basell (LYB) has announced its plan to establish an integrated recycling and reprocessing hub at the industrial park in Knapsack near Cologne, marking a significant step toward achieving circular economy goals. The project, set to be implemented in phases, will begin with a state-of-the-art sorting facility for mixed plastic waste. With an initial investment of over €100 million, LYB aims to commission this facility by the first quarter of 2026. The sorting plant will serve as the foundation for a broader recycling ecosystem. According to Stephan Staender, interim manager of the Wesseling-Knapsack site, the hub will play a critical role in supplying feedstock for LYB’s advanced recycling unit at its Wesseling facility. Furthermore, it is expected to create operational synergies with the company’s existing mechanical recycling facility in Geleen, the Netherlands, and its polypropylene compounding facility in Knapsack. According to Yvonne van der Laan, LYB’s Executive Vice President of Circular and Low Carbon Solutions., the industrial park is a perfect choice for the company’s integrated hub as it is close to its world-scale facilities in Wesseling. This willingness made it easier for LYB to develop additional technologies for the recycling of plastic waste. Spanning an area equivalent to 20 football fields, the new recycling hub is expected to be a major milestone in LYB’s circular economy ambitions. The company has already secured a lease agreement for the property with Yncoris, the industrial park’s service provider. Once the hub launches, it will become a significant tool in Cologne’s recycling industry. The company also recently announced an evaluation of its European assets in the Olefins & Polyolefins and Intermediates & Derivatives divisions.