Plastic recycling
The opinion of plastic in connection with the environment and recycling is quite divided today, but thanks to development, increased awareness and a common effort, the future looks bright.
Plastic products today are ever-present in our everyday lives. It is a widely used material in many industries, including in the automotive industry, electronics, and building construction. It is also used for packing food and drink, which can be considered as one of the largest sectors. Therefore, it is from the packaging sector that the largest amount of plastic waste is recycled.
When the plastic goes from product to waste, the perception of it, as invention, becomes unfavorable. Wastes, such as landfills and plastic waste in our streams and seas are the images of plastic that surround us through the media. The question is, though, whether plastic as an invention is to blame, or is it us humans? Are we bad at handing in our plastic waste for recycling? If the individual takes more responsibility and stops throwing plastic outside the designated locations, the possibility of collecting it will increase and the plastic can be reused in alternative products to a much greater extent.
The question is, though, whether plastic as an invention is to blame, or is it us humans?
Almost all types of plastics can be used for recycling, but to what extent they are recycled depends on technical, economic and logistical factors. Well collected, washed and appropriately sorted in different plastic grades, plastic waste has new possibilities to be included as ingredients in new plastic parts to be produced. Of the tenths of millions of tonnes of plastic waste currently being reported, about one third is used for recycling. Just over a third is burnt to get energy and the rest is unfortunately left on the ground and in the oceans.
The development of plastic recycling
The technique for collecting plastic waste, sorting it and using it for recycling has been around for a while and is constantly improving. Technical development is of paramount importance in order to be able to reuse plastic waste in new products to a greater extent. In this area, there is an increasing commitment by both politicians and industry to pave the way for new developments. Plastics in the form of waste and end products are a valuable resource for both environmental and economic reasons.
However, the driving forces for companies to use recycled plastics in their products differ a lot. The biggest driving force is still a desire for price reduction and more legal requirements. There are also companies that think about the environment and want to improve their own green profile. Products are marketed openly as environmentally friendly and an environmentally conscious clientele demands it increasingly in certain segments, such as the packaging and furniture industry.
Polykemis subsidiary Rondo Plast realized this early on and has built up a broad know-how and a wide product flora which, regardless of the driving force, enables the industry to use recycled plastic for different applications.
Volvo Cars
One company that has chosen to see the benefits of using recycled plastic is Volvo Cars. Their ambition is to have at least 25% of the plastic in their cars made from sustainable material by 2025. The starting point for this ambition was a demonstrator vehicle where Rondo Plast, since the beginning of the project, was a central partner who discussed and found solutions with both injection moulding suppliers and Volvo Cars.
Read more about the collaboration between Rondo Plast and Volvo Cars here →
The road to high quality recycled compounds
Rondo Plast produce high quality recycled plastic compounds in two different material grades, REZYcom and REPRO. At Rondo Plast they know it takes high quality raw materials to produce high quality results. That’s why the many suppliers of recycled plastics, from all over the world, is choosen and evaluated with the greatest care.
Do you want to know more about how the road to high-quality recycled plastic compounds looks like for us? Watch the video below!