Four Year LIFE ABSolutely Circular Project : Indaver and INEOS to Team Up on ABS Plastic Recycling EU LIFE Project

EU Commission recycling waste plastics ineos
© EU Commission

International waste and recycling firm, Indaver, and INEOS Styrolution, a German-headquartered manufacturer of styrenics – a polymer with the chemical formula C₆H₅CH=CH₂.- are to team up as technology partners in a project funded by the EU LIFE Programme, the European Union’s funding instrument for the environment and resource efficiency.

The project, which is planned for a duration of four years, will demonstrate the production of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) based on recycled feedstock.

The scope includes first lab-scale solution as well as plans to upscale to commercial solution

The project, dubbed “LIFE ABSolutely Circular” aims at demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of using advanced recycling technologies to close the loop of plastic recycling.

An initial key objective of the project is to demonstrate for the first time the production of ABS based on recycled feedstock taking advantage of advanced recycling technologies. The project is also planned to demonstrate scaling of the solution from lab scale to demo plant and ultimately to commercialisation.

The ABS copolymer is used in a broad range of applications in many industries including automotive, healthcare, electronics, household, and toys/ sports/ leisure. The material significantly contributes to societal well-being with a well-balanced mix of properties. It is robust, dimensional stable, leightweight and has an aesthetic surface appearance. It is also compliant with food contact regulations and is easy to process.

Paul De Bruycker, CEO at Indaver comments: “We are looking forward to develop a demo plant and an upscaling plan to achieve the objectives of this project. We are thrilled to work on a solution that allows us to take advantage of the amazing properties of styrenics while eliminating the impact on the environment and on future generations.”

Dr. Alexander Glück, President EMEA at INEOS Styrolution: “We are excited about this project as we believe there is intrinsic value in plastics products after usage. We share the vision with Indaver to turn plastic waste into valuable resources instead of letting it end up in landfills.”