BASF is set to showcase its continued plastics journey towards a circular economy and sustainable management of plastics at the Plastics Recycling and Sustainability Conference Europe (PRSE) 2023. The conference, which will be held from 10-11 May 2023 at RAI, Amsterdam, will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and experts to discuss the latest opportunities and challenges that face the plastics recycling industry in Europe.
At PRSE, stand D32, BASF will present its latest initiatives and solutions to promote the circular economy of plastics. The company will showcase its high-performance solutions and complementarity approach in the field of mechanical and chemical recycling with the aim of reducing the amount of plastic waste which goes unrecycled.
In addition, BASF and its subsidiary trinamiX will be joining the show’s conference to share insights into the latest circular plastics technologies and solutions. Dr. Jens Hamprecht, Director Global Plastics Steering Committee at BASF, and Adrian Vogel, Business Development Manager at trinamiX, will host a session titled “How to close the recycling gap together?” (May 10, 2:20-2:40pm).
Complementary solutions for mechanical recycling on one platform
BASF offers a range of product technologies to enable and improve the mechanical recycling process. The solutions from plastic additives, trinamiX and Chemetall are integrated on a newly designed platform: mechanicalrecycling.com
Additives designed to meet the challenges of circularity of plastic packaging
Additives enhance the circularity of plastics and enable polymers to go through multiple cycles. The IrgaCycle® range of additives can help increase post-consumer recycled content of plastic in several end-use applications such as packaging, automotive & mobility, and building & construction. They also mitigate common challenges associated with recycling resins such as limited processability and rejuvenate the stabilizing additive package that may be depleted during the package’s first lifecycle. BASF leverages its extensive experience in the plastic industry to select suitable additive solutions and provide technical recommendations to help customers reach their recycling goals. The IrgaCycle® range is part of the VALERAS® portfolio, the brand name under which BASF markets its range of sustainable plastic additive solutions.
On-the-spot identification of plastic types for enhanced sorting
A key piece to establishing circularity lies in the first step of the recycling process: a clean sorting of plastic waste. To ensure a high commercial value of the separated waste, it is important to know the type of polymer that constitutes the discarded plastic waste. With its Mobile NIR Spectroscopy Solution, BASF subsidiary trinamiX enables flexible on-the-spot identification, ensuring clean plastics waste streams across recycling facilities. Demos of the solution will be performed at trinamiX’s booth G3.
Cutting-edge cleaning solutions from Chemetall for mechanical recycling of plastics
The Surface Treatment global business unit of BASF's Coatings division, operating under the Chemetall brand, offers formulated and integrated cleaning agents, aimed at enhancing quality, productivity and safety of plastics recycling processes. Chemetall’s product range of cleaning solutions, wetting agents and defoamers covers the entire washing and wastewater treatment process for plastics and PET recycling and complies with the strictest quality regulations. Gardoclean®, Gardobond® additives, Gardo® Pure and Gardofloc® are set to be the gold standard in optimizing the washing and wastewater treatment processes.
As a result, safe cleaning of the plastic waste is achieved and, at the same time, the consumption of water and cleaning agents is reduced, as most of the water can remain in the system's cycle, be recycled, and reused several times. Chemetall technologies are compatible with food industry requirements, suitable for multilayer packaging films such as LDPE or HDPE and remove all types of adhesives effectively and efficiently.
PE/PA multilayer films are recyclable
BASF has done a lot regarding polyethylene/polyamide multilayer films: Since fall 2022, coextruded PE/PA film structures have been considered mechanically recyclable. Based on the studies of Institute cyclos-HTP GmbH, the Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (Central Agency Packaging Register) has reclassified the recyclability of polyamides in the minimum standard. This is an important first step towards incorporating the benefits of polyamide-containing packaging and the latest findings on the recyclability of polyamides into the legal basis. As a major producer of Ultramid® extrusion polyamides for multilayer films, BASF is involved in projects for objective categorization of polyamides in flexible packaging applications.
ChemCycling®: Complementary solution for high-performance products
Chemical recycling complements mechanical recycling by focusing on plastic waste that is not recycled mechanically for technological, economic, or ecological reasons. Together, mechanical and chemical recycling can increase the overall recycling rates and contribute to a more circular economy for plastics. ChemCycling® is BASF’s chemical recycling business to manufacture high-performance products from chemically recycled plastic waste on an industrial scale for our customers. The share of recycled raw material is attributed to products manufactured in the Verbund by using a third-party audited mass balance approach. More than 200 certified products carry the name suffix Ccycled® and have the exact same properties as conventional products. Customers can therefore further process them in the same way as conventionally manufactured products and use them in demanding applications like food and medical packaging, textile, or transportation.
Resycure – an impact startup helping brand owners, converters and recyclers to reach their targets
Resycure is a startup originating from Chemovator - the business incubator of BASF - dedicated to reducing plastic waste on a global scale. Their approach focuses on the market, assisting companies in the food, cosmetic, and household cleaning sectors to secure the supply of recycled resins for their packaging at fair prices and with less risk. To achieve this, Resycure consolidates the demand from these companies until it reaches a significant volume, using it to attract business and clients for recycling companies. In turn, recyclers can leverage that to invest in advanced technologies, quality, and production capacity. Resycure also connects recyclers with technology providers and advantageous financing options to help them meet the needs of their new clients.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €87.3 billion in 2022. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.
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Read MoreShifting hues in global automotive colors: Embracing the rising popularity of warm niche colors
In 2024, the global automotive color landscape continued to evolve as consumers move away from traditional favorites like white and silver. This shift is paving the way for increased popularity of vibrant hues, warm neutrals, and a more diverse palette across the industry, as stated by BASF Coatings in the latest Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings. Specifically, while white remains the top choice among consumers, warm shades such as yellow and beige are increasingly appealing, and green has risen in popularity across all regions. Achromatic colors like black and gray are also gaining traction. EMEA: Beige gains popularity as achromatic colors continue steady growth Achromatic colors in the EMEA region have steadily increased from 72% in 2021 to almost 80% in 2024, underscoring the appeal of neutral tones.White remains the most favored color, closely followed by gray. Notably, beige is gaining popularity, nearly doubling its market share. “Beige and neutral colors evoke a sense of calm and sophistication, reflecting the desire for stability in a fast-paced world,” said Mark Gutjahr, global head of Automotive Color Design at BASF. “They allow consumers to express their individuality while ensuring a timeless elegance in automotive design.” Americas: Gray is proving to be one of the most versatile and captivating colors With its vast range of tones, from cool metallics to warm, earthy shades, gray offers depth and sophistication that can be surprisingly vibrant. This year’s color distribution reveals a striking shift toward gray tones, now capturing almost 20% of the total market share. Black has dropped by 2 percentage points compared to 2023, while white cars have seen an even more significant decline of 5 percentage points. “Gray is redefining automotive style, gaining popularity for its versatile sophistication as preferences shift away from traditional white and black,” said Victoria Fislage, Senior Design Manager at BASF Coatings. Asia Pacific: Black dominates, yellow blossoms Achromatic colors remain the top choice for 83% of consumers, with black gaining 2 percentage points in popularity, reinforcing its association with elegance. In contrast, white has seen a decline of over 2 points. Meanwhile, chromatic colors, particularly yellow, are on the rise, with softer tones like pastel and greige yellow leading the way. These shades resonate with themes of AI-human harmony and sustainability, especially in electric vehicle design. Those are reflecting a shift toward harmonious, optimistic color palettes. “Earthy and pastel yellows capture today’s values – functionality, sustainability, and coexistence with nature,” said Chiharu Matsuhara, head of Automotive Color Design for Asia Pacific.The Color Report for Automotive OEM Coatings by BASF Coatings offers an in-depth exploration of color trends in the automotive industry, analyzing preferences on both global and regional levels. The color distribution referred to in the report was calculated by BASF Coatings on the basis of the available information regarding global automotive production and paint application to passenger cars.
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