A groundbreaking study by ETH Zurich, in collaboration with BASF SE, has explored an innovative route for recycling mixed plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) alongside biomass. The research demonstrates that recycling one kilogram of automotive shredder residue with three kilograms of biomass can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3 kg CO₂-equivalent compared to traditional incineration for energy recovery.

These findings come at a crucial time, as the European Union prepares new legislation on end-of-life vehicles. The results highlight an opportunity for policymakers to support the transition to circular, low-carbon feedstocks.

The study builds upon a pilot gasification project conducted by BASF and BEST GmbH (Austria) in mid-2025, which for the first time successfully combined the gasification of biomass with plastic waste from automotive shredder residues at BEST’s pilot plant.

Instead of incinerating plastics and biomass to generate electricity and steam, co-gasification produces both steam and synthesis gas (syngas)—a valuable feedstock for the chemical industry. This approach not only reduces dependence on fossil resources but also keeps carbon circulating within the value chain, contributing to a more sustainable and circular plastics economy.

“Closing the carbon loop through plastics recycling is not only beneficial for the climate but also crucial for conserving resources—an essential step toward a plastics industry that operates within planetary boundaries,” said Prof. André Bardow, ETH Zurich.

However, for these alternative feedstocks to replace fossil-based materials at scale, a supportive legal framework is needed—one that recognizes mixed plastic waste as recyclable and sets ambitious, long-term targets for the use of non-fossil feedstocks.

“Ambition in target-setting, rather than opt-out or review clauses, should guide policies that empower industries to achieve ecological goals. Sector coupling and cross-industry collaboration are key to accelerating emission reductions,” emphasized Prof. Catharina Bening from ETH Zurich.

While legislation already encourages the gasification of bio-waste—driving early investments in sustainable maritime and aviation fuels—similar support for plastic waste recycling remains absent.

“Operating separate gasification plants for bio-waste and plastics waste streams is inefficient. We call for policies that enable multi-purpose plants through an audited, flexible mass balance approach,” stated Martin Jung, President of BASF’s Performance Materials division.

Europe generates over one million tons of automotive plastic waste annually, much of which is incinerated or landfilled. While mechanical recycling can recover some materials, a residual mixed plastic waste stream remains. ETH Zurich’s findings demonstrate that co-gasification of this stream with biomass is both technically feasible and environmentally superior to incineration.

The resulting high-quality circular raw materials can be used to manufacture new, high-performance plastics that meet the demanding safety and quality standards of automotive components, effectively turning waste into valuable, sustainable resources.