Texas | Molecular Recycling Facility

Eastman’s second U.S. molecular recycling facility will be in Longview, Texas

In March 2024, Eastman announced the location of its second U.S. molecular recycling facility will be Longview, Texas.

Landscape view of Eastman Longview, Texas facility

Investing in the Longview site

The selection of the Longview site was based on several factors, including existing infrastructure and operations synergies, favorable energy supply, access to feedstock pools in the western and central U.S., and ample space for renewable energy generation. The investment will involve the preparation of mixed plastic waste for processing, the deployment of Eastman's next-generation molecular recycling unit to break down waste, and the establishment of a polymer facility to create high-quality materials for packaging and textiles. The Longview facility will have the capacity to recycle approximately 110,000 metric tonnes of hard-to-recycle plastic waste.

Job creation
and community impact

This investment is expected to bring over 200 full-time, high-paying jobs to the Longview community, in addition to approximately 1,000 temporary construction jobs during the site development and facility construction phases. Eastman has been an active member of the Longview community for more than 70 years, currently employing over 1,500 team members at the location.

Mark Costa, board chair and CEO of Eastman, expressed excitement about this commitment to their circular strategy and the decision to locate the new facility in Texas. He emphasized the positive impact this investment will have on the local community.

Industrial engineer woman at recycling industrial facility

Support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Texas

Eastman was selected by the DOE to accelerate the demonstration of low-carbon intensity recycled PET with this project. Collaborating with the DOE allows for the inclusion of thermal heat batteries and on-site solar power deployment. Together with Eastman's next-generation molecular recycling technology, this project aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions in PET production. In addition to DOE support, Eastman secured significant state and local tax with the support of Governor Abbott and the State of Texas.

Texas State flag waving in the wing against blue sky

Eastman's proven technology for sustainable plastic recycling

Eastman's polyester renewal technology enables the recycling of hard-to-recycle plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or incinerators. This technology breaks down the waste into molecular building blocks, which are then reassembled to create virgin-quality material without compromising performance. By keeping these valuable molecules in production through a material-to-material high-yield loop, Eastman is paving the way for potentially infinite material reuse. Moreover, Eastman's process results in lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional methods, making it an environmentally responsible solution for producing food contact polyesters of virgin quality.

Eastman's commitment to sustainability and its investment in the Longview community exemplify its dedication to making a positive difference for future generations.

Close-up of a pile of compressed plastic waste collected for recycling Por Jarama

Frequently asked questions

The Longview site was selected due to synergies with existing infrastructure and operations, favorable energy supply and footprint, and access to western and central U.S. feedstock pools. The location also provides enough space for on-site renewable energy. We also know that the talent pool in this area is strong, and we have incredibly talented team members already working at the site who will be instrumental in this project. 

The agreement with the Department of Energy is enabling us to expand the project to include thermal heat batteries and on-site solar power. This will result in a significant reduction in carbon emissions relative to using fossil fuels. The expanded scope will also add to the timeline for the project. We will be working through the details of the adjusted timeline and will provide an update when appropriate. 

Yes. We use the term molecular recycling in place of chemical recycling because molecular recycling better reflects what we’re doing. At our molecular recycling facilities, we unzip waste materials into their molecular building blocks and rebuild them into new forms — providing an infinite life span for waste materials that were previously destined to end up in landfills, incinerators or, worse, the environment.

Material-to-material recycling refers to technologies where the input to be recycled is material waste and the output is a material that contains recycled content and can be used to make new products. Other technologies may be waste-to-energy or waste-to-fuel technologies where a waste feedstock is processed into energy or fuel.

We have long-term contracts for more than 50% of plant capacity at prices to support our investment.

Longview, Texas, site