Alterra: Sustainable...At What Cost?

The Alterra Energy recycling plant in Akron, Ohio interested me because there are only two chemical recycling plants in Ohio, and one of them is located in Summit County, where my family lives. Alterra uses a process called pyrolysis, which is a type of thermochemical liquefaction, Instead of mechanically melting plastic and turning it into another product, the plant heats recycled plastic without oxygen. This breaks the plastic’s long molecular chains which results into a liquid called pyrolysis oil, which can then be used as a raw material for making new plastics and other chemicals.

Commissioned in 2020, Alterra’s 60-ton-per-day plastic circularity facility in Akron, Ohio is the only full-scale, continuous plant of its kind. Our plant has successfully recycled millions of pounds of discarded plastic, and that number is growing every day. Our growth will see the development of new facilities that will help meet the overwhelming demand for sustainable materials. -Alterra

Although this technology sounds like a promising solution to plastic waste, I do not think it is as sustainable as the company makes it seem. The process requires a significant amount of heat, and the non-condensable gases produced during the process involves combustion and produces emissions.

There are also broader concerns about the environmental impact of chemical recycling and whether turning plastic into petrochemical feedstock truly represents recycling in the same way as keeping plastic in a closed material loop. This makes me question whether pyrolysis is actually a long-term sustainable solution or simply another way of processing plastic waste while still relying on energy and fossil-based systems.

Oil & Gas Watch presents Alterra Energy as part of the growing chemical recycling industry, which uses processes such as pyrolysis to turn plastic waste into chemical products. However, the website raises concerns about the environmental impact of this type of recycling. It explains that chemical recycling can be energy-intensive and can produce air pollution and hazardous waste. This raises questions about whether these processes are actually a sustainable solution to the plastic waste problem or simply another form of petrochemical production.

Children in Summit County have more than 60% more asthma-related emergency-department visits and hospitalizations than children in the rest of Ohio. The organization connects this disparity to the concentration of plastics and petrochemical facilities in the county, including Alterra's Akron facility. - Moms Clean Air Force

Overall, I think chemical recycling could potentially be a good thing, but we would need to compare pyrolysis with other forms of recycling to understand its true impact. Is the circular economy this plant could create worth the potential health and environmental concerns? More research needs to be done to know for sure. I found this especially insightful because it shows that even when something seems sustainable, we cannot truly know its impact until we explore all the effects a new technology might have.

References

Oil & GasWatch. (n.d). Alterra Akron Plastic Recycling Facility https://oilandgaswatch.org/facility/5859

Alterra360. (n.d). How We Do It. https://www.alterra360.com/how-we-do-it/

Samantha Johnstone. (2026, March 25). Life Under Threat: An Explosion at a Local Chemical Facility Spurs One Akron Mom Into Action. Moms Clean Air Force. https://www.momscleanairforce.org/life-under-threat-akron-advanced-recycling/