Eni Partners With Prysmian to Recycle Plastic Cable Waste
Prysmian and Versalis have entered into a strategic partnership to establish a dedicated chemical recycling supply chain for plastic cable scrap, including difficult-to-recycle cross-linked polyethylene. Under the agreement, Prysmian will collect plastic waste from its manufacturing operations and from decommissioned cables returned by customers, while Versalis will process the material using its proprietary Hoop® chemical recycling technology at its Mantua facility in northern Italy.
The Hoop® process converts mixed and cross-linked plastic waste into pyrolysis oil, which is then transformed into feedstock for new plastic polymers. Prysmian plans to reintroduce these recycled polymers into the production of high-performance energy cables. The companies estimate that around 60% of XLPE scrap can be recovered and reused through this approach, a significant improvement over conventional mechanical recycling methods.
The initiative is described as the first large-scale application in the cable industry where cross-linked cables, with all polymeric layers combined, can be chemically recycled, potentially creating a closed-loop, circular system for cable materials.
A pilot project is scheduled to begin in Italy in the second half of 2026.
Plastic insulation materials such as XLPE are widely used in energy and power cables because of their durability and electrical performance, but they pose a major recycling challenge at end of life due to their cross-linked structure. As electrification, grid expansion, and renewable energy deployment accelerate, volumes of decommissioned cables are expected to rise sharply across Europe and other mature markets.
Chemical recycling has emerged as a key area of investment for energy and materials companies seeking to address plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled. Eni, through Versalis, has been positioning Hoop® as a scalable solution for complex plastic streams, aligning with broader European Union policy goals on circular economy and waste reduction. For Prysmian, the world’s largest cable manufacturer, the partnership supports its sustainability strategy by lowering supply-chain emissions and reducing reliance on virgin polymer feedstocks.
The agreement also reflects a broader trend of collaboration between industrial manufacturers and energy or chemical companies to decarbonize hard-to-abate segments of the energy infrastructure value chain.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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