ELECTRO logo
Vienna, Austria, December 15, 2025 – Borealis is a proud partner of Project ELECTRO, a cutting-edge EU-funded initiative driving Europe toward a climate-neutral, circular plastics system. The project brings together top universities such as the University of Ghent, research institutes, and industry players to develop electrified, high-efficiency recycling technologies capable of turning low-quality waste into premium raw materials.
Project ELECTRO aims to reshape the future of recycling by developing electrified thermochemical processes that transform mixed and hard-to-recycle waste — including multilayer packaging and contaminated plastics — into high-purity olefins such as ethylene and propylene. By using renewable electricity instead of fossil-based energy, ELECTRO targets up to a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, matching the ambition of the EU’s circularity and decarbonization agenda.
Photo: Pyrolysis oil testing laboratory
(c) Borealis
As a leading consortium partner, Borealis heads the work package focused on enabling circular feedstocks for efficient steam cracking. Key contributions include:
Borealis also connects Project ELECTRO with Project STOP — its internationally recognized waste management initiative co-founded by Borealis and Systemiq in 2017. Household plastics collected in Indonesia through Project STOP are used in ELECTRO’s research, allowing the consortium to test the viability of chemical recycling on challenging, low-value waste streams.
“At Borealis, we’re committed to scaling circular solutions through innovation and strong partnerships. Together with our ELECTRO partners, we’re proving how electrified chemical recycling can turn challenging waste streams into valuable resources for a circular economy,” says Manjunath Patil, Senior Engineer Innovation & Technology at Borealis. “Project ELECTRO combines top-tier scientific expertise with real-world testing. Our collaboration with Borealis – and the integration of material from Project STOP – shows how cross-sector innovation can unlock scalable solutions for both industry and society,” says Kevin Van Geem, Professor at Ghent University and Project ELECTRO coordinator.
Photo: Pyrolysis oil samples
© Borealis
About Borealis
Borealis is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions. In Europe, Borealis is also an innovative leader in polyolefins recycling and a major producer of base chemicals. We leverage our polymer expertise and decades of experience to offer value-adding, innovative and circular material solutions for key industries such as consumer products, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and mobility.
With customers in over 120 countries and head office in Vienna, Austria, Borealis employs around 6,200 people. In 2024, we generated a net profit of EUR 566 million. OMV, the sustainable chemicals, fuels and energy company with a focus on circular economy solutions, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, owns 75% of our shares. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), owns the remaining 25%.
In re-inventing essentials for sustainable living, we build on our commitment to safety, our people, innovation and technology, and performance excellence. We are accelerating the transformation to a circular economy of polyolefins and expanding our geographical footprint to better serve our customers around the globe. Our operations are augmented by two important joint ventures: Borouge (with ADNOC, headquartered in the UAE); and Baystar™ (with TotalEnergies, based in the US).
www.borealisgroup.com
About Project STOP
Project STOP (STop Ocean Plastics), launched in 2017 by Borealis and Systemiq, is a pioneering program that provides access to effective circular waste management systems at scale in Southeast Asia. Collaborating with public and private sector partners, the initiative builds waste management infrastructure and deploys technical expertise to achieve zero waste leakage, increase recycling, build economically sustainable programs, create new jobs and reduce the harmful impacts of mismanaged and openly burnt waste on public health and the environment. The first city partnership was established in 2017 in the city of Muncar, East Java, followed by others in Pasuruan, East Java, and Jembrana, Bali. Following the successful handover of all three Project STOP city partnerships to the local regency governments, Project STOP’s focus is now on providing a Regency-wide circular waste management system in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java (Project STOP Banyuwangi Hijau) further enabled by Borealis and Project STOP’s scale-up partner and funder Clean Rivers. For more information on Project STOP visit www.stopoceanplastics.com
About Project ELECTRO
For more information about Project ELECTRO and its partners, visit www.electro-project.eu
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