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Rep. Diana Harshbarger Tours Eastman Chemical Facility
The Tennessee congresswoman visited Eastman's methanolysis plant in Kingsport.
Mar. 16, 2026 at 6:16pm
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U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger, a Republican from Tennessee's 1st congressional district, recently toured Eastman Chemical Company's methanolysis facility in Kingsport, Tennessee. The methanolysis process is a chemical recycling technology that allows Eastman to break down hard-to-recycle plastics and convert them back into their basic building blocks for reuse.
Why it matters
Eastman's methanolysis facility is part of the company's efforts to increase the circularity of plastics and reduce plastic waste. As a member of Congress, Rep. Harshbarger's visit highlights the growing political and regulatory interest in chemical recycling technologies as a solution to the global plastic pollution crisis.
The details
During her tour, Rep. Harshbarger saw firsthand how Eastman's methanolysis process works to break down complex plastic waste into its core chemical components, which can then be reused to create new plastic products. This visit allowed the congresswoman to learn more about the technical and operational aspects of this advanced recycling technology.
- Rep. Harshbarger toured the Eastman facility last week.
The players
Rep. Diana Harshbarger
A Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Tennessee's 1st congressional district.
Eastman Chemical Company
A global specialty materials company that produces a wide range of advanced materials, chemicals, and fibers, including its methanolysis recycling technology.
The takeaway
Rep. Harshbarger's visit to Eastman's methanolysis facility underscores the growing political focus on chemical recycling as a potential solution to the plastic waste crisis. As lawmakers seek to address this global challenge, tours and site visits like this one help educate policymakers on the technical capabilities and environmental benefits of advanced recycling technologies.
