Plastics-to-oil firm Quantafuel has submitted a planning proposal to build a facility at the Port of Sunderland - mrw

If it goes ahead, it will be the Norwegian firm’s first chemical recycling plant in the UK. It currently runs a commercial-scale plant in Denmark and a demonstrator project in Sweden.

Quantafuel wants the Sunderland plant to start in 2024, with the ability to process around 100,000 tonnes a year of plastic through pyrolysis. It said 100 new jobs would be created.

The oil produced will be shipped to customers in the petrochemical industry and the gas produced would power the plant. The proposal will be considered by Sunderland City Council.

Last month, Quantafuel signed an option agreement with the council to develop the land at the Port of Sunderland.

Quantafuel chief executive Lars Rosenløv: “New facilities are needed to help deal with plastic waste, and we can offer a long-term, sustainable alternative to incineration and landfill that will provide significant environmental benefits, whilst also creating new jobs in Sunderland.

“We have considered our plans in detail, consulted widely with the community and are delighted to have now submitted a planning application.

"We look forward to further engagement with the community during the summer as we await the outcome of the planning decision in the autumn.”

Claire Rowntree, deputy leader of Sunderland council, said: “The port is key to the city’s development plans and we continue to invest in it to develop our rail, road, and sea links, which are vital to attracting such global investment.”

In 2019, Quantafuel signed a deal with Geminor to receive 20,000 tonnes of waste plastic for its Denmark plant in Skive. The company has backing from German chemicals giant BASF, which has invested €20m.