Goal! Circularity progress for Houston

How advanced recycling in Baytown is giving the plastics from the 2026 global soccer tournament’s fan festivities a new life—and why the right policy can scale the impact.

As fans gather across the globe to celebrate the global soccer tournament, the energy is unmistakable—shared moments, collective pride, and a sense that anything is possible when people come together around a common goal. It’s a powerful reminder that progress, whether on the field or beyond, is driven by teamwork, innovation, and a clear sense of purpose.

At our complex in Baytown, Texas, we’re bringing that same spirit to an effort that often happens behind the scenes: transforming plastic waste from the fan festivities in Houston into valuable new products. This entertainment destination brings together local communities and fans to watch and celebrate one of the world’s biggest sporting events. We are working to ensure certain plastics such as bubble wrap and shrink wrap don’t reach Houston landfills—but instead get a second chance to create value.

Advanced recycling is central to this effort. While traditional recycling has an important role, it cannot easily process many of the complex plastics used to make certain plastic films that protect goods during transport and storage. Our advanced recycling technologies break these materials down into basic molecules that are used to develop new valuable products.

At Baytown, this isn’t theoretical—it’s happening at scale. Since starting up our first unit in late 2022, we have processed approximately 150 million pounds of plastic waste that might otherwise would have gone to landfill or incineration. By integrating these operations within our broader manufacturing complex, we’re able to scale quickly and cost-effectively—turning hard-to-recycle plastics into valuable new products—from fuels and lubricants to chemicals and plastics.

And we’re just getting started. Globally, our ability to process plastic waste and feedstocks derived from advanced recycling is expected to reach approximately 450 million pounds per year when our fourth unit in Baytown is operational. That kind of scale matters—keeping more plastic waste out of landfills, retaining more value, and accelerating progress toward a circular economy for plastics.

Major global sporting events like this offer a unique opportunity to demonstrate what’s possible. They bring together millions of people and in turn, generate a significant amount of waste. By capturing and processing plastic waste—like certain everyday flexible plastics used throughout the Houston event—we can show how innovation and infrastructure can work together to deliver real-world solutions.

Scaling these solutions requires more than technology—it requires the right policy environment. Advanced recycling is proven and scalable, yet policy frameworks haven’t fully caught up. Clear, consistent regulations are essential to unlocking broader adoption and investment.

That starts with recognizing advanced recycling as recycling in federal policy—reflecting the reality of today’s technologies. It also means establishing consistent standards for recycled content claims. These steps will provide clarity for industry and confidence for consumers, helping move recycling policy into the modern era.

I’m encouraged by the growing support for this approach at multiple levels. Local leaders, including the City of Baytown, and federal voices such as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, have highlighted the importance of advancing practical solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics. Building on that momentum will be critical.

There’s no single player that can solve the challenge of plastic waste. It takes collaboration, persistence, and a willingness to innovate at scale. We’re proud to be a key player in that pursuit—bringing advanced recycling capabilities, operational strength, and deep expertise to drive progress.

As the world comes together to celebrate their teams, we’re focused on what comes next: keeping valuable materials in play, scaling solutions that work, and helping build a system where waste is reimagined as opportunity.