Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, and Acea Ambiente, a subsidiary of Acea specializing in integrated waste management and energy recovery, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the circular economy through joint recycling efforts that recover value from both post-consumer and post-industrial plastics.

The agreement was signed by Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis, and Gabriele Di Cintio, CEO of Acea Ambiente.

The companies will collaborate to analyze and select waste streams from Acea Ambiente’s facilities to evaluate their suitability for Versalis’ recycling processes. Their shared goal is to develop an integrated industrial supply chain capable of producing high-quality recycled plastics, potentially through investments in new plants and the optimization of existing processes.

The agreement also includes a joint evaluation of chemical recycling solutions, including the Hoop technology, aimed at recovering value from plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled.

Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis, said: “This agreement strengthens our commitment to creating a circular economy for plastics by combining our industrial and technical expertise with Acea Ambiente. In March, we opened a new plant in Porto Marghera that produces plastics from mechanically recycled materials, with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes per year of crystal polystyrene and expandable polystyrene. In Mantua, our Hoop chemical recycling demonstration plant for mixed plastic waste has been running for a month. We plan to build a larger industrial plant in Priolo that can process 40,000 tonnes per year as part of Eni-Versalis’s Chemical Transformation Plan. Our goal is to create sustainable supply chains that add value to plastic waste and help move towards a low-emissions future.”

Gabriele Di Cintio, CEO of Acea Ambiente, said: “Acea Ambiente is committed to developing innovative and sustainable solutions. This agreement is an important step toward building an industrial model that recovers value from plastic waste, supports the circular economy, and helps reduce emissions in industry. Partnering with Versalis allows us to combine our expertise in waste management and plant operations with their chemical industry experience. Acea Ambiente runs a strong network of sorting and recycling facilities, which are key to creating efficient and transparent supply chains. Our aim is to recover value even from hard-to-recycle plastics, produce high-quality recycled materials, and reduce environmental impact.”