Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, involving a) contacting said liquid stream with a stream having a pH above 7 and comprising a washing solvent, preceded and/or followed by contacting with a stream having a pH below 7 and comprising a washing solvent; b) liquid-liquid extraction of the washed stream with an extraction solvent. Further, the invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from plastics comprising the above-mentioned process; and to a process for steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons as recovered in one of the above-mentioned processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid stream comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons, heteroatom containing organic compounds and optionally aromatic hydrocarbons, involving a) contacting said liquid stream with a washing solvent thereby removing heteroatom containing organic compounds; b) liquid-liquid extraction of the washed stream with an extraction solvent; wherein heteroatom containing organic compounds, optional aromatic hydrocarbons and optional other contaminants are removed from said liquid stream and/or from a washed stream resulting from step a) and/or from a raffinate stream resulting from step b), respectively, by contacting the latter stream(s) with a sorption agent. Further, the invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from plastics comprising the above-mentioned process; and to a process for steam cracking a hydrocarbon feed comprising aliphatic hydrocarbons as recovered in one of the above-mentioned processes.