Responding to calls from major brands in the consumer electronics industry as a whole for more sustainable materials, SABIC – a global leader in the chemical industry – announced that its engineering thermoplastics business is expanding its portfolio of CYCOLOY and LEXAN resins containing high levels of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. Typical applications for the portfolio will include consumer electronics and accessories such as chargers and adapters, printers, copiers and laptop housing.
Typical applications for the portfolio will include consumer electronics and accessories such as chargers and adapters, printers, copiers and laptop housing. Source: Sabic
The new PCR material is blended with the virgin material to create compounds with PCR levels of initially up to 30 percent. According to an internal SABIC life cycle assessment (LCA) study, these compounds offer potentially significant reductions in carbon footprint of up to 25 percent and in energy consumption of up to 30 percent compared to virgin material.
SABIC hopes to be able to offer materials with PCR content of up to 60 percent in 2021. The compounds and their properties will be tailored according to different industry requirements.
“The initiative to produce a broader portfolio of engineering thermoplastics with PCR content complements our existing efforts in making base resins from certified renewable feedstock. Together, our circular solutions can help to improve plastic recyclability, lower emissions and drive towards closing the loop on used plastic,” said Sergi MonrosVP performance polymers & industry solutions for petrochemicals at SABIC. “Our vision of a circular economy requires collaboration across the value chain, and we are committed to working with downstream and upstream partners to drive the transformation needed.”
