Plastic recycling company MBA Polymers has started commercial production of a new recycled polymer produced from shredded end-of-life waste electronic and electronic equipment (WEEE).

The polymer, which will be marketed under the brand name Evosource, is a blend of recycled polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS).

Production of the PC/ABS polymer has started at the MBA facility in Kematen, Austria, and the company says that it is the first to commercially produce this kind of polymer from shredded WEEE.

The polymer, which can be used to produce items such as computer monitors, mobile phones and laptops, has been produced in response to growing demand for sustainable materials in both the automotive and EEE industries.

MBA says the mechanical properties of Evosource PC/ABS make them useful for a broad range of uses and will allow manufacturers the opportunity to achieve higher levels of recycled material in their finished products.

Less than 10 per cent of plastics recycled from complex waste streams

MBA polymers produces a wide range of different polymers from post consumer WEEE and automobiles which are sold on to make products across many different industries. Its ABS (Acrylonitrile/Butadiene/Styrene) and HPS (High Impact Polystyrene) polymers have been used to produce printer housings, coffee makers and vacuum cleaners.

According to the company, less than 10 per cent of plastics found in complex waste streams, such as WEEE, are currently recycled compared to the over 90 per cent of metals which are recycled from the same streams. Its facilities in China, Austria and the UK, now process and recycle the plastic from WEEE and automobile waste.

By using recycled plastic manufacturers can save up to three tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of recycled plastic used, according to MBA, and the process uses less than 20 per cent of the energy used to make products directly from petrochemicals.

MBA extending “commitment to sustainable growth”

Richard McCombs, Chief Executive of MBA Polymers said: “These are exciting times for our engineering plastics business. The decision to develop PC/ABS products reflects our determination to meet the growing demand from customers for post-consumer recycled plastic as well as extending our commitment to sustainable growth.”

“Every one per cent increase in the usage of our waste benefits our return on investment enormously. MBA is unique in being able to extract the degree of value that we are achieving today from WEEE.“

Arthur Schwesig, Business Manager at MBA Polymers, Austria, added: “EvoSourceTM PC/ABS and MBA Polymers’ other high-quality recycled plastics further expand the opportunities for manufacturers to use more sustainable materials, which in turn increase the realities of a circular economy.”

Rethinking the future of plastics

A report produced by the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, ‘The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics’ was published in January 2016.

The authors called for 'a new approach based on creating ‘effective after-use pathways for plastics, drastically reducing leakage of plastics into natural systems… and decoupling plastics from fossil feedstocks.’

The report contained suggestions as to how a closed loop global plastics economy could be realised including scaling up the adoption of reusable plastic packaging, increasing the recycling of plastics and increasing incentives to keep materials in the system, among others.