BASF will consolidate its spent chemical catalysts refining and recycling operations at its operating facility in Seneca, South Carolina, USA, by the end of this year. The incineration and refining unite in Rome, Italy, will close during the fourth quarter.

The Italian site will be recalibrated to focus on process catalysts manufacturing, platinum group metals (PGM) salts and solutions production, along with assay laboratory testing and analytics. Staffing at Rome will be reduced; however, BASF said the site will continue to serve as a vital operating facility and the primary interface for chemical catalyst recycling customers in Europe.

Going forward, the Cinderford, UK, site will serve as a regional transfer center for all European spent chemical catalyst recycling, providing centralized collection, documentation and transfer services. The site will also continue to serve as BASF’s European recycling hub for scrapped auto catalysts, where PGMs are recovered and shipped to Seneca for further refining and use in next-generation emissions catalysts.