Elix Polymers, together with 9 other international companies, is forming a part of the PLAST2bCLEANED project, which consists in the implementation and viability (both technical and economic) of a recycling system for waste electrical and electronic equipment.
The project, which begins in June 2019, has a duration of 4 years and includes financing of €4,500,830 from the European Commission, with funds through the H2020 programme. Elix is the only ABS manufacturing company from Europe included in this initiative, together with companies such as Electrolux, Juchheim, Campine, ICL, Fraunhofer, TNO, Gaiker, Coolrec and Sustainable Innovations.
The initial phase seeks to establish the pre-treatment, analysis and separation of plastic components. The second phase seeks to develop a process for dissolving plastic components and recovering the polymer and other components for subsequent recycling. The next step is to conduct an environmental and economic assessment in order to demonstrate the sustainability and economic viability of the technology to be applied based on the PLAST2bCLEANED project. At the end of the project a final publication and communication phase covering the results obtained is expected.
The new technology seeks the following objectives with respect to the environmental impact of ABS and the benefits that would be obtained in relation to sustainability:
- Achieving a greater purity and/or quality of secondary raw materials.
- Increasing the recycling rate of secondary materials and reducing landfills and the incineration of plastic waste.
- Reducing the risk of maintaining hazardous substances in recycled materials.
- Implementing the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the 7th Environmental Action Programme.
- Implementing both the Commission’s strategy on Plastics in the Circular Economy and the SPIRE PPP roadmap.
In addition to all these benefits, the project contemplates contributing to the Circular Economy in the world of plastics by increasing the percentage of recycled materials with respect to current technologies and reducing the quantity of materials that are currently incinerated without being recycled.
In this regard, Antonio Prunera, Head of Business Development and R&D/IP of Elix Polymers, commented that: “within the framework of our strategy of participating in Circular Economy projects and as a company in the chemical sector, we confirm our commitment to these types of initiatives. The fact that we, as the only ABS manufacturer, are participating in a project of this scope allows us to strengthen our position as a thermoplastics manufacturer”.
Elix Polymers is a leading manufacturer of ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) resins and derivatives in Europe. It offers a broad range of material solutions for a variety of industries and applications, while complying with the stringent requirements of the Healthcare, Automotive, Appliances, Electronic and Toy industries, among others.
