During the IFAT Munich 2024 trade fair, which ran from May 13 to 17, Covestro focused on waste management and recycling technologies.
The company’s objective is to enhance its material cycles and increase the recycling of plastic waste. As part of this effort, Covestro has taken steps such as registering as a waste dealer to meet the legal requirements to procure plastic waste for recycling.
The company showcased a portfolio of recycling technologies at the event. Alongside exhibits demonstrating current recycling solutions and partnerships, Covestro says it aimed to provide insights into mechanical and chemical recycling technologies to build transparency and confidence in their efficiency.
“IFAT brings together many established players in waste management,” said Tara Nitz, manager of global circular economy and responsible for IFAT cooperation at Covestro. “In addition to making new contacts, we want to position chemical recycling, which is often still viewed skeptically, as an integral part of a modern circular economy. By participating in IFAT, Covestro is demonstrating to many stakeholders the contributions our company wants to make to circular integration.”
Covestro has experience in mechanically recycling polycarbonates and thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU)Â and recently expanded its processing capacities for mechanically recycled products in China and Thailand.
Chemical recycling processes employed by Covestro include chemolysis, smart pyrolysis and enzymatic recycling. These methods involve breaking down polymer molecules to recover raw materials, allowing for the creation of new products of the same quality as virgin materials. These processes were elucidated at the Covestro booth during a Recycling Wheel presentation.
Through the CQ concept, which denotes Circular Intelligence, Covestro underscored the use of alternative raw materials for its solutions, which are composed of at least 25% recycled content. With the introduction of new recycling technologies, the CQ portfolio continues to expand, including initiatives like Evocycle CQ, which focuses on the chemical recycling of polyurethane mattress foam components.
“The chemical and waste management industries in particular must continue to grow together in the future in order to create synergies and develop solutions together,” said Covestro’s CEO, Dr Markus Steilemann.
“With innovative recycling technologies and now also as an authorized waste dealer, Covestro is well equipped for this. We can now actively shape partnerships for waste management and a recyclate portfolio in the EU ourselves.”
