How to source and process enough circular feedstock to meet demand on an industrial scale
Recycled plastic and biomass – from hemp to pineapple leaves – represent lower-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels. Great news! But it isn’t always so easy to get enough of them and ensure that the quality and characteristics of the final product are the same every time.
There’s certainly plenty of plastic around. It’s everywhere in a dizzying array of forms and formats. However, each type of plastic is made from different polymers. This variability makes recycling tricky. And integrating recycled plastic into production lines and products even trickier. Each polymer has specific chemical and mechanical characteristics. However, the final product needs to be standardised to meet the same exacting industry requirements.
01. What’s at stake?
Achieving consistent characteristics and quality isn’t the only obstacle to leap over. Across industries, supply chains rely on stable volumes. For recycled materials to make their mark, we need to ensure there is enough feedstock, all the time. However, we aren’t (yet) recycling enough plastic waste; facilities and efforts remain fragmented. This makes logistics and scaling complex.
In 2019, of the 353 million tonnes of plastic waste produced only 9% was recycled. At the same time, increasingly strict regulations (particularly in the EU) require manufacturers to integrate higher percentages of recycled materials. For example, 25% recycled content in new vehicles. This is upping pressure on supply.
As the need to shift away from fossil fuel resources – because of their environmental impact and limited quantities – becomes more urgent, we need to collectively pave the way for structural transformation of the plastics market. And there’s no time to waste.
With tighter regulations relating to recyclability and circularity, as well as companies looking to decarbonise, demand for recycled and bio-based is on the rise. By structuring more sustainable supply chains, we can collect, sort and process enough circular feedstock to drive scale – and place recycled and biomass materials centre stage.
02. Where we’re at?
keeping feedstock sources close to production sites to reduce transport emissions. At MATERI’ACT, we work with local partners, for example, our APM joint venture with neighbouring agricultural cooperative Interval enables us to integrate natural hemp fibres and recycled plastics into our production lines – without needing to whizz around the world (or even across France).
collaborating with recyclers to structure robust value chains – as it’s clear recycled raw material supply can’t be guaranteed by just one company. By combining complementary expertise, we secure supply, while also developing more efficient products with optimised formulations. We’ve teamed up with Veolia or PCR in the US. To name just a few of our partners.
using AI to help us analyse, characterise and dynamically adjust our formulations to guarantee consistent performance – despite the inherent variability of the feedstock. Supported by the EU, the Adaptative Formulation Through Artificial Intelligence (FAVIA) project is boosting these efforts. We couldn’t be more excited to spearhead this kind of collaborative, multi-disciplinary project.
Focusing on polypropylene (PP), one of the most widely used polymers in the automotive industry – and beyond. This choice enables us to structure a more robust supply flow and optimise the quality of our recycled compounds.
recycling mechanically to crush, clean and reformulate plastics emits less CO₂ and requires less energy than chemical alternatives. For us, the choice was clear.
We recently inaugurated a shiny new research centre in Lyon where our teams design, test and implement new formulations to get our recycled plastics and bio-based compounds just right (with a little help from AI). Tested samples make their way to our own pilot production line, just a few kilometres away. Once injected, the compounds become test specimens and prototype parts – ready for laboratory analysis – to ensure consistent quality and characteristics at every step.
We’ve already launched several low-carbon ranges with 100% recycled and/or bio-sourced feedstock – and there are plenty more in the pipeline.
03. What’s next?
Challenges relating to recycled feedstock go (far) beyond the scope of a single company – however committed. A successful transition requires close cooperation and significant investment from industry players, recyclers, institutions and research centres. Basically, everyone needs to get involved.
To integrate more recycled plastic (and biomass), we need to continue developing sorting and recycling infrastructures that meet industrial requirements. Plus, standardise material flows to minimise variability using AI and data science. More contractual commitments and partnerships with suppliers and recyclers will go a long way to securing supply volumes.
The momentum is starting to build. But there’s still lots to do, together.
We’re always looking for new partners and customers to help us create fossil-fuel alternatives
to high performance standards, which can be (and are) recycled
The road to net-zero and zero new plastic is going to get bumpy at times. But that’s the only road we care to take.
Wanna join us?
Pick a challenge you’d like to tackle with us.
