Trends

Trends Commentary | Recyclability - Part 1: Choosing the right materials

Trends

Advanced Materials

With the rise in plastic waste and its detrimental effects on ecosystems, there is a pressing need for suppliers to develop, and manufacturers to utilise, innovative alternative materials that can be effectively recycled. Incorporating recycled content in your production stream is a crucial step towards reducing plastic waste and promoting a circular economy. So, where do you begin?

Here are five steps you'll need to consider:

1. Identify the easiest streams

When looking to incorporate recycled content into your production stream, the first step is identifying the easiest and most accessible sources of recyclable materials.

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics

Derived from products that have completed their lifecycle as consumer items, PCR plastics can be sourced from recycling programs, kerbside collections, and other waste recovery initiatives. You can even establish partnerships with recycling facilities to acquire PCR plastics.

Post-industrial recycled (PIR) plastics

PIR plastics come from manufacturing processes that generate plastic waste. By implementing waste segregation and recycling practices in your own facilities, you may be able to capture PIR plastics and reintroduce them into the production stream.

Closed-loop systems

In a closed-loop system, you collect your own plastic products from consumers for recycling into new products. This offers greater control over the quality and availability of recycled materials.

2. Ensure quality and safety

Maintaining the quality and safety of recycled content requires strict quality control measures. Here are some key steps to ensure the integrity of recycled materials.

Thorough sorting and cleaning

Proper sorting and cleaning processes are essential to remove impurities and contaminants from recycled plastic. Advanced technologies, such as near-infrared (NIR) sorting systems, can efficiently separate different types of plastics, ensuring high-quality recycled content.

Testing and certification

Collaborating with reputable recycling partners and obtaining third-party certifications helps verify the quality and safety of recycled materials. Certifications like Recycled Content Certification and International Sustainability & Carbon Certification provide transparency and assurance to your customers.

A woman in safety glasses and gloves works with a bundle of wires at a machine in a factory setting.

3. Comply with regulations

Manufacturers must comply with relevant regulations and standards related to the use of recycled content in their products. This ensures that the final products meet legal requirements and are safe for consumers.

4. Invest in R&D

Your research and development can focus on innovative recycling technologies, process improvements, and developing new products specifically designed to incorporate recycled materials efficiently.

5. Promote consumer education and awareness

Transparent communication regarding the sustainability efforts of the plastics industry can foster consumer support and drive demand for ecofriendly products. Embracing recycled materials not only benefits the environment but also strengthens your reputation for responsibility and innovation.

Know your numbers for responsible waste management

The recycling symbols on plastic products indicate the type of plastic used.

Lesson learned to ensure the integrity of your product

Taking the time to understand and source the right recycled materials is critical. For example, a customer we worked with recently began incorporating recycled content into a product for outdoor use. The new formulation looked right and passed technical property tests with flying colours. It wasn’t until several months down the road that the product began to “chalk” (oxidise and degrade). An additional stabilisation package with antioxidants and anti-UV additives solved the issue. But it required a recall and re-analysis, incurring significant additional time, cost and waste. The lesson here is to rigorously verify quality and restabilise in the production phase, if necessary.

At IMCD, our experts are here to help you make informed choices that are right for your business. Reach out to us anytime.

Ask IMCD | Expert Q&A

We sat down with Dan Andersson, Sales Manager & Global Head of Sustainability for Advanced Materials to answer questions about the Circular Revolution.

Demand for recycled materials is on the rise. How can supply ever meet demand?

"That’s the beauty of circularity. As more companies start to redesign for recyclability, more products will end up in the recycling stream and become resources again. And investments in chemical recycling will help us reuse materials that are currently difficult to recycle. In the end, it will take a combination of design and innovation to generate the volume of recycled material needed to match supply with demand."

How can a company prove its sustainability without revealing its secrets to the competition?

"Greenwashing is a real concern as consumers get more informed — and more sceptical — about sustainability. That’s where the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) comes in. An EPD is a standardised document from an independent expert that verifies your life cycle assessment. It doesn’t contain any sensitive information, like materials used or production processes, so it can be shared with the world as proof of sustainability claims."