Covestro launches polycarbonate made from 90% post-consumer recycled content

        Covestro recently announced the launch of post-consumer recycled polycarbonate with a recycled content of 90%, which can be used in consumer electronics and other fields. Makrolon® polycarbonate is a product of Covestro's CQ circular solution, which can reduce carbon emissions by 70% compared with virgin fossil-based products. The company will first sell this grade of product in the Asia-Pacific region.

         “We are very proud of this breakthrough solution because it can help our customers accelerate their sustainability goals, especially in industries that have set leading sustainability goals, such as consumer electronics, audio and network equipment manufacturing,” said Wang Li, President of Covestro’s Engineering Plastics Division. “This is a big step forward in our vision of a fully circular company and will accelerate the transformation of industries to achieve a circular and climate-neutral future.”

         Post-consumer recycled polycarbonate

        The 90% post-consumer recycled polycarbonate launched this time has outstanding color matching ability, which can achieve high saturation colors and whiteness that are difficult to achieve with traditional high-content recycled plastics. The key to achieving this breakthrough is to strictly select high-quality raw materials and optimize the material formula during the compounding production process. The product uses environmentally friendly halogen-free flame retardants and meets the UL94V-0 flame retardant standard, which meets performance requirements without additional impact on the environment.

        In addition, Jabra, a leading Danish brand of audio, video and collaboration solutions, recently launched a new professional-grade audio product, the Jabra Evolve2 series of mid-range headsets, whose plastic parts use Covestro's Bayblend® FR3010 R75 polycarbonate. The material contains 75% recycled content and has only 50% of the carbon emissions of virgin materials while meeting performance requirements.

        Zero carbon footprint through mass balance approach

        In addition to physical recycling to produce post-consumer recycled products, Covestro is also continuing to advance the development of polycarbonates with a recycled biomass feedstock share based on the mass balance approach. Covestro's mass balance products are certified to the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard. As a latest development, the company can now regularly supply Makrolon® RE polycarbonate 3 with a sustainable share of up to 89%. Some of these products, including zero-carbon footprint polycarbonate, are already produced with 100% renewable electricity (based on a TÜV-certified system 4). As early as the end of 2021, Covestro began to supply the world's first zero-carbon footprint polycarbonate in Europe. The RE series polycarbonate is also part of Covestro's CQ circular solution.

        Mass-balanced polycarbonate has the same high quality and performance as fossil-based products. Users can use this low-carbon footprint solution immediately without changing their processes.

        In order to meet the growing market demand, Covestro is building the world's first production line dedicated to the production of physically recycled polycarbonate at its integrated base in Shanghai. The production line is expected to be put into operation this year and can produce more than 25,000 tons of high-quality polycarbonate containing physically recycled components annually.