Here you will find a curated selection of our reports and insights on plastics: their various applications, the recycling processes they go through, the new processes in development and how some companies are even developing sustainable plastics.
In this article you will find valuable information on the life cycle of plastics, from production to disposal and reuse, as well as highlights innovations and best practices in the industry.
1/ What different types of plastic are there?
Plastics are petroleum derivatives. There are about 10 different categories of plastics. Each type of plastic offers unique advantages and can be optimized for different applications, from packaging and building products to automobiles and consumer goods. For industry professionals looking to select the right material for their applications, understanding the variety of plastics and their specific properties is critical.
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2/ What are smart plastics?
igus manufactures products made of plastic and last year presented the first energy chain made entirely of recycled plastic.
“We are aware that as a plastics producer we also have to Circular economy of plasticsp. Plastics is an important raw material and can be used for many things, as we show with our products. But we also know that we have to handle it responsibly and at least try to reuse it as often as possible. That’s why we work with partners.”
One of their partners is a British company, Mura TechnologyYou have a Chemical recycling processes This will enable them to produce oil from used plastic waste. And the first plant will be put into operation at the beginning of this year.
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3/ Are “sustainable” plastics really environmentally friendly?
The rise of “sustainable” plastics has the potential to reduce the global carbon footprint of conventional plastics. However, this innovative class of plastics still has a significant environmental footprint.
Traditionally, plastic is made from fossil fuels such as natural gas and petroleum. The first generation of new “bioplastics” are more environmentally friendly because they are made from plants such as corn or sugar cane, similar to first-generation biofuels that were intended to replace gasoline and diesel.
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4/ What different plastic recycling processes are there?
Plastic recycling uses different methods tailored to each type of plastic. Since there are about ten different types of plastic, each made up of different elements and additives, not all plastics can be recycled in the same way. Thierry Gauthier, a circular economy consultant at the Center for Chemistry for Industry of the French Institute of Petroleum (IFPEN) in Lyon, shed light on current recycling processes. He also highlighted IFPEN’s innovative methods for recycling plastics such as PET indefinitely and integrating biomass into recycling processes.
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5/ Are we heading towards infinite PET recycling?
How can plastic be recycled indefinitely? This is the question posed by IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN), also known as the French Petroleum Institute. IFPEN has developed a process that allows PET to be recycled indefinitely. The first production plant equipped with this new process will open in France (Lyon) in 2027. The goal is to recycle around 30,000 tonnes of PET per year.
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6/ Micro-recycling factories
Carbon Blue aims to recycle plastic waste. Founded by Stéphane Testa, the company transforms used plastic from the Marseille region into unique furniture that is sold locally. The company plans to spread this model throughout France and internationally. Carbon Blue’s microplastic recycling factories are already being built in Bordeaux and perhaps soon in Africa. We visited the Testa family in their pilot microfactory in Gémenos, near Marseille.
