To meet consumer demand and regulatory requirements, major manufacturers and brands are increasingly using post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics in their products, demonstrating that all players in the value chain are committed to the common goal of a circular economy.
Demand surge and regulatory requirements drive rapid growth
Plastic recycling is a key factor in the transition to a circular economy. A recent report by the European Plastics Manufacturers Association shows that the production of PCR plastics in Europe in 2020 increased by 12% compared with 2018, and its use in new products increased by 15% to 4.6 million tons, showing the trend of the plastics industry towards a higher level of recycling.
According to the latest report from consulting firm Smithers, in terms of plastic packaging, the total global demand for PCR plastics will reach 4.79 million tons in 2021, and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9% from 2021 to 2026, reaching 6.37 million tons by 2026. At the same time, the European Commission is considering extending mandatory recycled material content targets to the construction, automotive and packaging industries to further expand the demand for recycled plastics and promote the development of this market. These measures will be in addition to the Commission's existing requirements for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottles to contain at least 25% recycled PET (rPET) by 2025, and at least 30% recycled content in all beverage bottles by 2030.
Plastics producers and upstream recyclers are scaling up PCR material production to meet market demand and regulatory requirements, while innovative brands are also actively using these materials in downstream products.
The rise of innovative upstream PCR materials
◆ Trinseo and Indaver, a leading European company in sustainable waste management, signed an offtake agreement for recycled styrene.
Under the terms of the agreement, Trinseo will purchase at least 50% of the recycled polystyrene produced by Indaver's plant for 10 years once it is operational as planned in 2023. As with other waste collection processes, Indaver will collect post-consumer polystyrene (PS), such as yogurt bottles and single-use packaging, and produce rPS using proprietary depolymerization technology at its plant in Antwerp, Belgium. This rPS will be sent to Trinseo's plant in Tessenderlo, Belgium, to produce recycled PS (rPS) resin for dairy packaging and other products. Both these rPS and r-PS products will be ISCC Plus mass balance certified. rPS has exactly the same properties as virgin PS made from fossil feedstocks. PS is infinitely recyclable due to its simple chemical structure and is extremely pure, making it suitable for use as a food packaging material.
◆Total Energy and Vanheede Environment Group announced in May this year the signing of a long-term commercial agreement for the supply of PCR raw materials.
These raw materials will produce recycled polymers for durable products in industries such as automotive and construction. Under the agreement, Vanheede Polymers & Compounds will supply PCR raw materials produced at its plants in France and Belgium, and the plant in Dottignies is currently building a plastic waste treatment facility using innovative technology. Total Energy and its subsidiary Synova will continue to grow sales of mechanically recycled polymers in Europe. Synova, a leading producer of recycled polypropylene (rPP) for the automotive industry, announces a doubling of its production capacity to 45,000 tonnes per year by the end of 2021.
◆ INEOS Styrolution is taking a step towards a more sustainable future with its first rPS grade produced in Asia.
The new Styrolution PS ECO 260 MR85 grade contains mechanically recycled post-consumer waste. The new grade contains 85% recycled materials from waste electronic appliances, and its mechanical properties are the same as virgin HIPS, including very good mechanical properties, consistency and high flow, which is a material solution for developers of household products and electronic products. The new grade is produced by INEOS Styrolution's Foshan plant in China and is currently available in standard black and gray colors and sold to customers across Asia.
◆Teknor Apex recently launched a new thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) product series Monprene RX CP-15100.
Monprene RX CP-15100, which contains 25-35% recycled materials, offers different standard grades with hardness ranging from 55 to 80 Shore A, and can also be customized according to specific customer requirements. These grades are designed for a variety of injection molding applications, including overmolding on PP. The PCR materials of these products come from waste generated by households or commercial and industrial facilities. Their performance and process are similar to TPEs made from new raw materials. They are suitable for personal care products, lawn and garden tools, writing instruments, appliances, sporting goods and pads. According to the company, other TPE products with recycled materials are only available in black, while Monprene RX CP-15100 series products can be delivered in light and natural colors, similar to virgin TPE.
In addition, the products are manufactured in the United States, Singapore and Germany according to ISO-9001 and ISO 14001 standards, with strict formulation control and traceability. For food contact applications, chemical contaminants in the recycled materials may remain in the materials and may migrate into the food in contact with the materials, which is one of the main considerations for the safe use of recycled plastics.
◆Avant has launched a TPE containing PCR materials for certain food contact applications.
The grade received a No Objection Letter (NOL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of the company’s reSound REC portfolio. The new reSound REC TPE has a 65 Shore A durometer and contains 25% rPP, and the FDA’s NOL confirms that the recycled material included in the formulation can be used in the manufacture of certain food contact articles. The formulation with PCR material has comparable performance to virgin TPE, providing a more sustainable option in applications such as toothbrush grips and other personal care items, and is suitable for certain FDA food contact programs. The TPE is natural gray, can be colored, is compatible with injection molding or overmolding PP, and is available in North America.
◆Braskem announced that its two new PCR PP grades can be widely used in FDA food contact applications, including consumer packaging, bottle caps, housewares, and a variety of thermoformed products.
Braskem's thermoforming grades contain 25% PCR materials and meet certain FDA food contact requirements, including high-temperature packaging. The grades are suitable for thermoforming to produce a variety of products, including food retail and food service trays, coffee lids and several other packaging products. The company's C&C grades also contain 25% PCR materials and meet certain FDA food contact requirements. This grade is suitable for injection molding bottle caps in the fields of food and beverage, health and hygiene, and cosmetics.
Downstream applications emerge PCR value-added solutions
◆Berry International provides materials containing 50% PCR.
To help its non-food customers improve the sustainability of their packaging, it offers several of its most popular industrial packaging lines with 50% PCR (standard content) versions. These products are strong, space-saving and easy-to-use solutions for non-food products for both business-to-business and consumer packaging. It is worth mentioning that these packages are also mono-material solutions, made entirely of PP. All containers containing PCR materials can also be decorated using the company's advanced in-mold labeling (IML) decoration technology to promote the content of recycled materials in the packaging to the end user.
◆LyondellBasell has developed polymers based on advanced PCR materials and branded them as CirculenRevive.
With the support of Greiner Packaging, a European manufacturer of food plastic packaging, these polymers will be used to make coffee capsules for Nestlé's Nescafé Dolce Gusto. The collaboration aims to help advance the circular economy for plastics. CirculenRevive polymers meet the strict requirements of the food industry, and both LyondellBasell and Greiner Packaging's factories are ISCC PLUS certified. Through a mass balance approach, LyondellBasell can track how much advanced recycled material goes into the production process of its CirculenRevive products and attribute the recycled material to the final polymer through a sustainability statement.
◆Quadpack launches Multi Stick packaging for sustainable beauty products.
The Multi Stick packaging is made entirely of recyclable PP and contains up to 42% PCR. In addition to being highly sustainable, the Multi Stick is a multi-purpose product suitable for all types of cosmetics that need to be applied to large areas of the face or body, including sunscreen, deodorant, solid skin care products, makeup, perfume, etc. The beauty product packaging manufacturer's product range also includes PET lipstick packaging, which is practical and environmentally friendly for fashion makeup brands and is made entirely of recyclable PET with up to 100% PCR.
◆Fortum Circo chair made from recycled plastic compound.
The chair was developed by Finnish energy company Fortum together with engineers, physicists and researchers, and uses a self-designed motion structure to rise. In line with Fortum's sustainability-led strategy, the chair is made from Fortum Circo recycled plastic compound, which is reinforced with cellulose fibers, which strengthens the material and reduces the carbon footprint. According to the company, the carbon footprint of Fortum Circo recycled plastic is about half that of virgin plastic.
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