LyondellBasell introduces plastics made from recycled marine maritime gear

LyondellBasell, an advanced recycler based in the Netherlands, has announced its involvement in a value chain collaboration aimed at turning maritime scrap into new plastics. The company says this collaboration includes a Germany-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and a specialized recycling company with expertise in mechanically recycling plastic scrap.

According to LyondellBasell, the automotive industry only has utilized recycled maritime plastic in the form of fibers for new vehicle components. However, with the introduction of the company’s CirculenRecover PP TRC 2179N, the material now can be used in injection molding.

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The company says this breakthrough opens up new possibilities for the application of recycled plastics. As part of this collaboration, end-of-life fishing nets are collected and sorted by type, then are processed to create high-quality plastic recyclate. LyondellBasell takes this material and compounds it with virgin compounds to produce the grade CirculenRecover PPC TRC 2179N.

The injection-molded components made from CirculenRecover PPC TRC 2179N are trim parts used in visible areas for the interior of various car models. The company says this development will be used in large-scale production, allows for enhanced sustainability and environmental responsibility in the automotive industry.

“Who would have thought that maritime gear can be one of the solutions to create more sustainable cars?” says LyondellBasell Business Development Manager Michael Budinger. “As part of the European Green Deal, the European Commission is currently investigating measures to increase the circularity of vehicles, one of them being the use of up to 25 percent of postconsumer plastic waste. Maritime gear will support OEMs in reaching this goal.