ExxonMobil Halts €100M Recycling Plans in Europe Amid EU Policy Dispute

ExxonMobil has suspended plans to invest €100 million ($118 million) in chemical recycling projects at its European sites in Rotterdam and Antwerp, citing proposed EU regulations as the main barrier.

The projects were intended to process about 80,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. ExxonMobil senior vice president Jack Williams said the company had local support and was ready to move forward, but that the EU’s draft law on calculating recycled content left the investments unviable.

Under the proposal, integrated facilities like ExxonMobil’s would receive less than half the intended recycling credits, while standalone plants would benefit. Other companies, including Finnish refiner Neste, have voiced similar concerns during consultations.

The EU aims to boost recycling rates, requiring 30% recycled content in plastic bottles by 2030. Industry groups argue that both mechanical and chemical recycling are needed to meet such targets.