Sustainability Innovation Centre
Introducing,
The World's First Waste Plastics to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Pilot Facility*
Supported by the UK SAF Clearing House funded by:
*Research conducted January 2026, comparing against operating or soon-to-launch facilities converting waste plastic into aviation fuel blending components progressing through ASTM certification for SAF production.
Over 80% of the world’s plastic is never recycled — billions of tonnes lost to the environment.
And every day, 100,000 commercial flights depart, relying on new fossil fuels.
What if that waste plastic could be turned into lower-emission aviation fuel?
BBC Coverage of Clean Planet Technologies' Sustainability Innovation Centre
The BBC's Environment Correspondent Fiona Irving visited Clean Planet's Sustainability Innovation Centre. Watch Above. BBC Disclaimer
What's happened?
In April 2026, Clean Planet Technologies opened the world's first pilot facility dedicated to converting non-recyclable waste plastics into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The facility demonstrates Clean Planet's proprietary and patented Plastics-to-SAF (P2SAF) process at pilot scale, alos supporting fuel testing, validation and progression through the UK SAF Clearing House and ASTM qualification pathway.
Matthew Gee, UK SAF Clearing House Director, cuts the ribbon to open Clean Planet's Sustainability Innovation Centre, April 2026.
L>R: Liubov Belousova (CPTech Production Manager), Sir Roger Gale MP, Bertie Stephens (Group CEO), Dr. Katerina Garyfalou (COO, CPTech), Matthew Gee (UK SAF Clearing House), Dr. Andrew Odjo (Group CTO & CEO of CPTech), Helen Jorden (British Plastics Federation), Kelvin Ogden (Group Facility Operator)
Why?
Waste plastics can be transformed into ultra-clean, low-carbon aviation fuel using existing aircraft and fuel infrastructure, the pilot facility represents a critical step towards scaling circular, non-bio feedstocks and supporting the UK’s ambitions for sustainable aviation and Net Zero.
The Sustainability Innovation Centre hosts two separate units at different scales to first shred mixed waste plastics and then process them into PPO (plastic pyrolysis oil).
Across the
BBC's Environment correspondant, Fiona Irving, joined Clean Planet Technologies for their opening day of the world's first pilot facility for waste plastics to SAF production.
Video:
BBC Disclaimer
BBC Coverage of Clean Planet Technologies' Sustainability Innovation Centre
Audio:
Online:
Through a series of further modules, the Sustainability Innovation Centre can purify, distil, and hydroprocess hard-to-recycle feedstock oils into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Clean Planet Technologies Awarded UK Government SAF Clearing House Funding to Accelerate Plastics-to-SAF Qualification
Clean Planet Technologies (CPTech), part of the Clean Planet Group, has been awarded funding by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) through the UK Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Clearing House, supporting the next phase of qualification and testing for its waste-plastics-to-Sustainable Aviation Fuel (P2SAF) technology.
“The UK SAF Clearing House is delighted to support [Clean Planet Technologies] as they move through the critical stages of fuel qualification. The testing we facilitate provides the robust evidence base that producers and industry needs to build confidence, unlock investment and accelerate the deployment of new fuels. These awards underline the UK SAF Clearing House’s commitment to working closely with innovators to scale sustainable aviation fuel production and to deliver meaningful progress towards a more sustainable aviation sector in the UK.”
Matthew Jee, Director of the UK SAF Clearing House, part of the Department for Transport.
And does waste plastics to SAF fly?
Oh yes!
It's been tested in a jet engine, matching UK SAF 2030 supply targets.
(more on that Summer '26)
Nailah Mahomed from KMTV attended the opening of the Sustainability Innovation Centre. The broadcast report is uploaded here.
(C) KMTV and Nailah Mahomed
KMTV - Sandwich opens world's first plastic-to-fuel facility
Launch Press
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