ExxonMobil has announced that it has doubled its advanced recycling capacity by expanding its facility in Baytown, Texas. The company processed over 100 million pounds of plastic waste in the area as of May 2025. Additionally, the company is considering further advanced recycling investments in North America, Europe, and Asia.
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil doubles advanced recycling capabilities in Baytown, Texas.
ExxonMobil insists that advanced recycling is “a good investment for our customers, our shareholders, and the communities where we operate.” By incorporating these units into the company’s facilities, faster scale-up is possible at a reduced cost compared to most of the industry. This helps the company to increase recycling rates in nearby cities and towns.
The Baytown, Texas, facility has now been expanded to include a second advanced recycling unit. Combined with the original unit, ExxonMobil has been able to process over 100 million pounds of plastic as of May 2025. Having learned the most effective way to use the first unit, the company has made improvements to optimise the usage of the new unit.
Additional investments have also been announced, with the Baytown facility expected to get two more units, taking its total up to four. The company has also announced its first unit in Beaumont, Texas. These investments should help take the company’s overall capacity to around 500 million pounds of plastic waste per year.
What is advanced recycling?
The advanced recycling process transforms used plastics into raw materials. ExxonMobil can convert almost 90% of used plastic into useful raw materials, promoting a circular economy. As a result, less plastic will end up in landfills and incinerators.
One of the biggest challenges to increasing recycling rates is presented through the collection and sorting of plastic waste. To combat this issue, the company is working with communities, customers, and other companies to promote the collection of plastic waste for ExxonMobil’s recycling units.
Additionally, the company helped form the joint venture, Cyclx International LLC, to help collect and sort various plastic waste. ExxonMobil also helped to found the Houston Recycling Collaboration, which aims to expand the collection of residential plastic waste.
