Aduro Clean Technologies Inc., a Canadian clean technology company specializing in transforming waste plastics and other lower-value feedstocks into valuable resources, has made a significant announcement regarding its expansion plans. The company has selected Chemelot Industrial Park (CIP) in Sittard-Geleen, Netherlands, as the site for its first-of-a-kind industrial plant. This decision marks a crucial step in Aduro's journey toward commercializing its innovative Hydrochemolytic Technology for chemical recycling.
Strategic Location for Industrial Scale-Up
The planned facility at Chemelot Industrial Park will serve as an industrial scale-up plant, building on prior pilot-scale validation. This first-of-a-kind (FOAK) plant represents the next phase in Aduro's progression toward full commercial operation, with the facility designed to support successive phases of scale-up and optimization following successful initial operation. The selection of Chemelot follows an extensive site-selection campaign initiated by Aduro in late 2025 as part of its structured scale-up program.
Why Chemelot Was Chosen
Over several months, Aduro conducted thorough due diligence across multiple candidate locations, narrowing the process to four finalist sites before ultimately selecting Chemelot based on technical, industrial, and strategic criteria. Northwest Europe emerged as a preferred region due to its established waste management infrastructure, concentration of downstream industrial partners and end markets, and evolving regulations supporting circular materials.
Chemelot stands out as one of Europe's leading integrated chemical industry clusters, hosting a broad range of chemical and materials production facilities along with comprehensive supporting services. The site offers shared utilities, centralized wastewater treatment, established site-wide safety and operating standards, and an umbrella environmental permitting framework designed to support efficient and predictable industrial project development.
Alignment with Circular Chemistry Goals
Chemelot has articulated a long-term ambition to transition toward a climate-neutral, circular chemistry and materials site, with a particular focus on increasing the use of non-fossil and circular feedstocks. This vision is supported by the interconnectedness of industrial operations and innovation activities across the site. As an established location for steam cracking and downstream polymer production, Chemelot provides a relevant industrial environment for technologies producing circular hydrocarbon intermediates intended as alternatives to fossil-based naphtha.
Brightlands Chemelot Campus Collaboration
The Brightlands Chemelot Campus, located at Chemelot, serves as an open-innovation and scale-up ecosystem for the chemical and materials industries. The campus provides access to applied research capabilities and shared laboratory and development infrastructure that support technology development and industrial implementation. Aduro has been active within the Brightlands ecosystem since 2021 as part of its European technology development activities, making this location a natural fit for their expansion plans.
Technology and Environmental Impact
Aduro's Hydrochemolytic Technology represents a breakthrough approach to chemical recycling of waste plastics, offering a sustainable solution to plastic waste management. By transforming lower-value feedstocks like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils into valuable resources for the 21st century, Aduro's technology aligns with global efforts to create a more circular economy and reduce environmental impact.
The company's selection of Chemelot Industrial Park demonstrates a strategic commitment to leveraging established industrial infrastructure while contributing to the region's circular chemistry ecosystem. This move positions Aduro to accelerate its technology commercialization while benefiting from the collaborative environment and supportive regulatory framework of Northwest Europe.
