On April 3, 2024, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) proposed a draft initial construction permit for W.R. Grace’s proposed chemical recycling plant in Columbia, Maryland.

The proposed facility would decompose plastic pellets in a high-temperature, low-oxygen environment to break them down into a mixture of hydrocarbons, which could be used to produce new plastics. The pilot version could process 1 kilogram of plastic per hour, the permit states.

MDE is accepting comments on the draft permit until Aug. 29, 2024. See the public notice for more information on how to comment.