UBQ Materials, which specializes in developing advanced materials made from unsorted household waste, is partnering with Teknor Apex Company, based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, a global custom thermoplastics compounder, to include UBQ in its latest line of sustainable thermoplastic elastomers (TPE).
UBQ is a sustainable plastic substitute converted entirely from unsorted municipal solid waste, including all organics, that have been diverted from landfills. The partnership marks the first time UBQ will be used in TPE compounds. As the preferred material for applications requiring flexibility in the automotive and other industries, TPEs combine the performance of thermoset rubber with the processability of a thermoplastic and can be recycled. Teknor Apex’s TPE production offerings are as diverse as the industries they serve—consisting of formulations specifically designed to meet market requirements for physical and thermal performance.
Over the past year, Teknor Apex and UBQ have developed a series of TPEs incorporating various levels of UBQ and high-quality post-consumer recycled raw materials, diverting plastics from landfills, and creating greater circularity within the polymers supply chain.
“Incorporating UBQ into our TPEs, we are introducing the market to a new TPE option that is both cost-competitive and better for the planet,” said Jonathan Plisco, new business development manager, Teknor Apex. “Many customers are looking for more sustainable options that meet both the functional and financial requirements of a competitive marketplace. Manufacturers can become a part of the waste solution by incorporating sustainable materials that divert waste and preserve finite natural resources.”
