Versalis, the chemical arm of Italian energy giant Eni, has inaugurated a demonstration plant at its Mantua site deploying Hoop, a proprietary technology for chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste.
Designed to complement mechanical recycling, Hoop converts diverse plastic waste streams into high-quality feedstock usable in new plastics—including those for food and pharmaceutical packaging. Developed jointly with Italian engineering firm S.R.S., the technology uses a high-performance pyrolysis reactor combined with Versalis’s polymer expertise and AI-driven process optimization to maximize material recovery and input flexibility.
The 5,000-square-meter facility, constructed since October 2023 with over 25 specialized contractors, processes 6,000 tonnes of secondary raw materials annually. It aims to validate industrial-scale application ahead of a planned 40,000-tonne plant at the Priolo site in Sicily, currently in design and permitting stages under Italy’s Chemical Transformation Plan.
“Hoop embodies our commitment to circularity and innovation, reshaping our business toward greater environmental, social, and economic sustainability,” said Versalis CEO Adriano Alfani.
Notably, the SC-HOOP project is the sole Italian large-scale initiative funded in the 2023 EU Innovation Fund call, supporting breakthrough low-carbon technologies. The patented technology will also be showcased in Italy’s ‘L’Italia dei Brevetti’ exhibition and the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, highlighting it as a flagship example of Italian industrial innovation.
