Chemical recycling company Endolys Ltd has obtained planning permission to construct a £125 million ($162 million) plastic film recycling facility at the former Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Works site on Yarm Road in Darlington, England. The development will rank among the largest advanced recycling facilities in the United Kingdom, utilizing proprietary thermal treatment technology to process post-consumer and industrial plastic films into high-value pyrolysisPyrolysis is a thermochemical process that converts waste biomass into bio-char, bio-oil, and pyro-gas. It offers significant advantages in waste valorization, turning low-value materials into economically valuable resources. Its versatility allows for tailored products based on operational conditions, presenting itself as a cost-effective and efficient More oil. Backed by £60 million in secured funding for its initial phase, Endolys plans to install the first six of twelve planned pyrolysis units within the site’s existing industrial infrastructure, targeting the start of operations before the end of the year.

The project addresses the persistent environmental and operational challenge posed by flexible plastic film, a waste stream that currently has few viable mechanical recycling pathways across the United Kingdom. Huge quantities of mixed or contaminated plastic film are routinely sent to energy-from-waste incinerators or landfills, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions and permanently removing petrochemical carbon from the industrial supply chain. Additionally, converting legacy industrial sites into modern advanced processing centers requires substantial infrastructure investment, complex logistical planning, and rigorous regulatory compliance under Environment Agency permitting frameworks.

To resolve these waste handling bottlenecks, Endolys Ltd is building an integrated advanced thermal processing facility featuring 12 proprietary pyrolysis reactors, a tank farm compound, and specialized thermal equipment. Situated near major transport corridors and connected to the national rail network, the Darlington facility will accept shredded plastic film collected from materials recovery facilities across the region. The thermochemical process breaks down complex polymer chains into liquid pyrolysis oil, which can be refined by petrochemical manufacturers to produce new circular plastics and chemicals. Endolys has already finalized an off-take agreement with a global oil-trading company to commercialize the facility’s total liquid output.

At full operational capacity, the Darlington plant will process up to 120,000 tonnes of waste plastic film annually, producing approximately 80,000 tonnes of recycled pyrolysis oil for European markets. Independent lifecycle assessments indicate that the facility will offset roughly 170,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, amounting to over 2.6 million tonnes of avoided emissions during its operating life. Furthermore, the £125 million project will generate up to 120 skilled technical and operational jobs in North East England, revitalizing a historic industrial hub while strengthening regional circular economy infrastructure.