Total creates products with high post-consumer recycled content that match performance of virgin materials
06 November 2017
Total
Description
Total has launched a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) “Circular Compound” range that contains high levels of post-consumer recyclates for household and industrial liquid applications. The new products perform equally in demanding applications to that of virgin resins and also have the same high processing properties.
The range, in natural color, covers all manufacturing needs for blow-molded bottles and heavy-duty containers for household and industrial liquids with a minimum guarantee of 25% or 50% of Post Consumer Recyclate (PCR). The PCR is compounded with HDPE virgin products, specifically designed and produced as intermediate resins in order to overcompensate for any lack of performance and consistency of the PCR. The resulting compounds are fully equivalent to any virgin resin sold in the same application, performing equally in all key aspects for demanding applications.
Total’s initial production capacity of HDPE Circular Compounds amounts to 20 kT.
Added value
- The composition and manufacturing process is specially designed to minimize the environmental footprint of the products.
- For the Circular Economy and for plastics in general, the innovative concept of high performance Circular Compounds allows the recycling industry and the virgin resin industry to open up new markets for high-quality recycled polymers.
- The resulting compounds are fully equivalent to any virgin resin sold in the same application, performing in all key aspects for demanding applications.
- The applications of recycled compounds have been extended by the development of these additional new grades.
- Their recycled content is of local origin, from post-consumer household waste collected in Western European countries.
- The PCR is transformed into a wholly fragrance-free resin after one last decontamination step.
Challenges
- The European virgin plastics industry needs to step into a new yet essential role as ‘circularity enhancer’.
- In the current environment, the recycling chain faces strong competition with virgin materials.
- Very long qualification processes going beyond technical aspects; package design and marketing approach are also at stake.
- Recyclers are an emerging domain that currently lack standards for good product quality and recycling process capabilities.