The actual classification into mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and energy recovery is outdated and incomplete.
It disregards solvent-based purification (dissolution) as individual technology and the opportunities offered by this physical recycling techniques to recycle plastic waste streams that are actually considered as unrecyclable. A Physical Recycling process like the CreaSolv® Process leaves the polymer chains intact for re-use in the original application in contrary to chemical recycling (feedstock recycling) that always breaks down the polymer into smaller molecules.