European project yields recycled-content ABS

ELIX Polymers says its collaboration with two other companies has led to the production of styrene and butadiene from chemically recycled postconsumer scrap that ELIX can be used to make 100 percent recycled-content acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic.

The Spain-based firm says the process consumes plastic scrap and in some cases bio-circular raw materials from used cooking oil. ELIX has collaborated with fellow Spain-based company Repsol and Netherlands-based chemicals firm AnQore to develop the process.

The products created by the process are being marketed under the E-LOOP CR name and they hold International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus certification.

“Furthermore, ELIX’s E-LOOP CR can help reduce the CO₂ footprint by promoting sustainable and circular feedstocks, which have lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than conventional materials,” ELIX says.

For the toy industry, producers can use a version of acrylonitrile available from AnQore, while Repsol offers styrene and butadiene made from chemically recycled postconsumer scrap and used cooking oil.

ELIX Polymers signed agreements with both AnQore and Repsol in 2020 designed to help ensure supplies of more sustainable materials.

“All three companies believe that long-term partnerships across the entire supply chain are necessary in order to achieve sustainability goals and offer products that are manufactured using more sustainable materials to the society,” the say, adding that customers will not notice any change in the properties of their products, yet they will be participating in responsible, circular consumption.