This pilot project is a research initiative by Grace scientists to study a new technology for recycling plastic in a lab in an existing building on our Columbia, MD campus. The project aims to develop a more efficient and environmentally friendly solution than the mechanical and pyrolysis options that exist today.

Yes. MDE granted the permit to study this potential new solution, effective June 20, 2025, following an extensive public and regulatory review process, including a public hearing and 120-day public comment period. Our MDE application included science and evidence demonstrating the safety of this project and was thoroughly evaluated by MDE.

By “pilot plant,” we simply mean a research unit or testing space for our new technology. After we study a new innovation in a laboratory setting, our next step is to set up a small-scale model of the process to perform controlled tests and validations. It is not a manufacturing facility, nor does it have the ability to be converted into one – the best way to describe it would be as a research unit or pilot lab, similar to what one would see in a research facility or university setting.

It measures 24 feet high, 32 feet long, and 12 feet wide—roughly the size of a one-car garage. It is housed within an existing building.

The pilot is designed for us to test and refine a new plastics recycling process. It operates on a small scale, using research-scale reactors, chillers, separators, feeders, and samplers to study the chemical processes involved in our plastics recycling solution. The pilot uses catalysis to convert plastic waste to chemical building blocks. There is no open flame and there is no burning of plastics.

The project aims to contribute to the development of sustainable plastic recycling solutions, while minimizing the environmental impact. It has the potential to reduce emissions, save energy, and lower costs compared to other plastic recycling methods that exist today. 

Many plastics cannot be recycled effectively using methods currently available. Existing advanced recycling processes face economic and operational challenges. The fact that these current forms of plastic recycling are insufficient is precisely why we innovated this solution. 

Grace scientists have developed a process designed to improve efficiency and product yield with the goal of improving upon earlier generation technologies so that it’s economically and operationally viable to scale.

Today, plastic is largely a linear economy. It is often used once then thrown away. We're developing a process that could help turn plastic into a circular economy.

In line with our commitment to safe operations, this pilot lab is designed and permitted with multiple layers of safety, including automated process shutdowns (safety interlocks) that immediately and completely shut the unit down if any operating condition deviates from its normal range. 

Moreover, Grace follows industry best practices and the guidelines of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Responsible Care program. We have well-established safety processes and protocols at our site and work closely with our employees, contractors, and appropriate local authorities – including MDE and Howard County Fire & Rescue – to ensure the safety of our 500 on-site employees and the surrounding community.

The pilot plant project will not impact the health or wellbeing of our local community or the employees who work at the facility every day.

As stated in MDE's letter to community members on June 18, 2025, “the Department is satisfied that there will be no adverse impact to public health or the environment.”

No. The project is a small-scale scientific study conducted inside a research laboratory. The pilot uses catalytic chemical conversion and heat to convert plastic waste to chemical building blocks. There is no open flame and there is no burning of plastics. Our process is fundamentally different from burning or incinerating and is engineered for safety and emission control.

No.

No.

No.

No.

MDE regulates air emissions under the Clean Air Act and Maryland Air Quality regulations. This project fully complies with those standards and will generate minimal air emissions, which we disclosed through MDE’s permitting process to obtain the required permit.

As stated in MDE’s letter to community members issued on June 18, 2025, “the Department is satisfied that there will be no adverse impact to public health or the environment.”

Potential daily emissions from this pilot, as disclosed in the permit application, include:

1. 73 lbs of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂).
2. .002 lbs of Carbon Monoxide (CO),
3. .011 lbs of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and
4. .218 lbs of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
5. Essentially no Particulate Matter (PM) (we say “essentially” because the PM will be less than a pound a year, which amounts to two ten-thousandths of a pound of PM a day (.0002) or half a pound per year based on our operating hours)

The principal process emissions stream is routed through an electric flameless thermal oxidizer – a state-of-the-art emission control device – where they are broken down into CO2 and water, with greater than 99.99% efficiency.

 To put the emissions in context, here are some comparisons:

1. Less CO₂ in a day than an average passenger vehicle using 4 gallons of gasoline*.
2. CO in a day equal to an average US vehicle driving 2 tenths of a mile**.
3. NOx in a day equal to an average US vehicle driving about 10 miles – so driving from Cedar Creek to the Columbia Town Center and back emits as much NOx as this plant could in a day**.
4. VOCs in a day equal to using about ¼ to ½ gallon of paint***.
5. And essentially no Particulate Matter****

*Based on US EPA data for CO₂ emissions per gallon of fuel for an average passenger vehicle

**Based on 2024 Bureau of Transportation Statistics data for average vehicle emissions

***Maryland Law limits VOC content of flat coatings (e.g. paints) to 50 g/l, and non-flat coatings to 100 g/l. (Maryland Register Reference: 26.11.39.00-26.11.39.9999) 

**** We say “essentially” because the PM will be less than a pound a year, which amounts to two ten-thousandths of a pound of PM a day (.0002) or half a pound per year based on our operating hours

Grace followed all zoning regulations and the Maryland Department of the Environment permitting process, including a public hearing and a 120-day public comment period, which is 30 days longer than provided in the statute. The project went through a lengthy public and regulatory review process before the permit was issued.

We have been operating Research and Development (R&D) at our Columbia, MD site since 1959. We employ approximately 500 people at this site and have the talent, experience and infrastructure to run the project at our Columbia facility. 

Our Columbia headquarters is a research facility, not a factory, and this technology will never be deployed at scale at our Columbia site. Grace plans to license the process technology and supply the catalysts so customers can commercialize the process at their own facilities. The technology is designed to be deployed at customer sites, including refineries and petrochemical facilities, not at Grace manufacturing locations.

At commercial scale, the process will be used to break down plastic waste into reusable building blocks that can then be refined to create new resins and plastics. Those can then be made into everyday items such as food packaging, detergent bottles, storage bins, auto parts, and more.

We designed the research unit with safety in mind from the start. We would never support a project that would put our employees or neighbors at risk.

We follow industry and regulatory requirements and best practices for safety in all our R&D. Additionally, this project has safety interlocks built in as an added measure, and we work closely with the Howard County Fire Department on a regular basis as a responsible business practice. 

No trash will be used in this project. Grace will study well-controlled plastic samples sourced from manufacturers and established recycling facilities.

Since the permit became effective June 20, 2025, the research unit began operating in February 2026.

Contact Community@grace.com with any questions.