Why Recycled Polymers Matter
Choosing recycled polymers for manufacturing plastic items offers numerous benefits, spanning environmental, economic, and branding aspects, but it’s important to have a good understanding of the choices available before making your final decision on specification.
Whilst recycled options undoubtedly have many advantages, the pitfalls can include a compromise on material properties, longer leads times and higher prices – but not always!
Key Environmental Benefits
Critically there are several environmental benefits associated with selecting recycled polymers. Not only does this approach support a circular economy, where materials are continually reused and remanufactured rather than discarded, but it also helps to divert plastic waste from landfills and oceans by providing a second life to materials that might otherwise pollute ecosystems.
Choosing a recycled polymer option also reduces the demand on resource consumption which means there is a lower demand for raw petroleum-based materials, helping to preserve finite natural resources.
The Role of Virgin Polymers in Recycling
However, without virgin polymer there is no recycled product. The flip side is therefore that plastic needs to be made available for recycling in the first place. The source comes either from the consumer via bin collections, or industry, and collectively we must redefine the collection and segregation processes to improve both the volume and the quality of the feedstock needed to manufacture recycled materials. Without this we also have a finite resource of recycled material.
Mechanical vs. Chemical Recycling
Recycled polymer is now split into two categories, the more traditional method being mechanically recycled polymer and the newer technology offering chemically recycled polymer. Both processes are used to reprocess waste plastics, but they differ significantly in their approaches and impacts.
It is understood that producing mechanically recycled polymers typically consumes less energy and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin polymer production. This process, which involves physically breaking down and reforming plastics, is energy-efficient and widely used. While there is a widespread myth via mainstream media regarding material degradation over multiple cycles, additives and blending techniques are used to restore or enhance the properties of the recycled material. There are, however, still colour and specification limitations with mechanically recycled grades, and ensuring the polymer is fit for purpose is crucial.
Chemical recycling, which breaks plastics down to their monomers for repolymerisation, allows for virgin quality products and can handle a broader range of plastics. It is, however, more energy-intensive and so far less widely adopted. Increased cost is a major contributing factor to the decision to use chemically recycled polymer, as is the requirement for certification by the entire supply chain to ensure that specific environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards related to sustainability are met.
Economic and Legislative Drivers
Demand for sustainable products is growing, and aside from the environmental advantages, manufacturers using recycled materials may also benefit from preferential tax policies, subsidies, or reduced waste management costs. As industries further refine recycling technologies and scale up operations, it is anticipated that chemically recycled polymers will become more cost effective – so the economic benefits could rise too. However, depending on our infrastructure developments, it is possible mechanically recycled material will become even more expensive.
The adoption of recycled polymers early on will undoubtedly help prepare businesses for stricter sustainability laws and standards in the future. Many governments and industries now mandate the use of recycled content in products to meet environmental targets, such as the EU’s Circular Plastics Alliance initiative. Now is a good time to look at future-proofing operations.
Brand Value and Customer Perception
With such widespread media coverage of the irresponsible use and disposal of plastic waste around the world, consumers increasingly favour eco-friendly products, and by making use of recycled plastics, it demonstrates environmental responsibility which has the potential to enhance your brand perception. Some manufacturers can even differentiate their products with sustainability claims, appealing to environmentally conscious customers with visible sustainability efforts strengthening customer loyalty and trust in your brand.
Care must be taken, however, to allow for flexibility should any supply issues occur with the recycled material options. It is still a very fragile industry and we would always encourage a dual approval approach to provide a security of supply.
What’s Next for Recycled Polymers?
Advances in technology have allowed us to expand our portfolio to include recycled options in almost every product category from PP through to PEEK, including the production of high specification bespoke polymers tailored for specific applications and in a spectrum of colours. This is expanding design possibilities that may once have only been possible with virgin materials. This is an area of that is advancing rapidly and we are keeping a close eye on recycled polymer options that best fit the requirements of our customers’ products.
Need some guidance on your recycled polymer choices? Talk to the team – we can definitely help! Contact us
