Driving the transition to a circular economy

Renewable feedstock attributed via mass balance

We’ve taken the next step in replacing fossil feedstock with renewable feedstock. ISCC PLUS-certified polycarbonates are renewable attributed polycarbonates via mass balance methodology. Through this approach, fossil feedstock is replaced by bio-circular alternative feedstock up to a specific percentage. As drop-in replacements for pure fossil based products, these renewable attributed products deliver the same quality and performance. This means our customers can reach their sustainability targets without technical risks or production interruptions. The renewable attributed products provide a significant carbon footprint reduction compared to fossil-based products. Our mass-balanced polycarbonates of the RE series offer superior climate performance, with selected Makrolon® RE grades able to reach climate neutrality.

• 

  Certified circular products with (specific) shares of certified renewable raw material content.

  By mass balance we can bring the value chain faster in line with our common conservation sustainability goals: Reducing the carbon footprint and use of fossil resources in production and consumption

• 

  Renewable mass-balanced raw materials for high-performance polycarbonates

  Using renewable components, we’ve developed an innovative polycarbonate with the properties of conventional fossil products.

Circular design as a critical enabler for more sustainable products

Design is a key enabler of increased circularity. Products that last longer and are easily disassembled and recycled at the end of their life will help accelerate the transition to a circular economy. We help designers and developers in the electronic, electrical and appliance industry to take a lifecycle approach to their next-generation products.

We also recognize the importance of CMF (color, material, finish) design in the business success and adoption of more sustainable raw materials, in particular recycled plastics. That’s why we’re working with experts in the field to integrate aesthetic CMF design into Covestro's more sustainable polycarbonate material portfolio. Our goal is to find the right balance between the aesthetics, functionality and environmental footprint of sustainable material solutions.

• 

  Circular design guidebook

  With REnato Lab, we authored a Circular Design Guidebook for designers and developers in the electrical, electronic and household appliance (EEA) industry.

• 

  One material unleashing endless LED light possibilities

  Covestro is innovating with a single plastic material to empower LED functionality – from security cameras to smart lamps.

Joint solutions: closing material loops while increasing transparency

We work with customers and partners along the value chain to seize new opportunities to close material loops while increasing supply chain transparency. Our innovative collaborations include using blockchain technology to ensure the transparent traceability of plastics in Porsche cars, and creating a closed-loop recycling value chain for plastic water barrels with Nongfu Spring in China.

As one of the leaders in business model innovation, we believe partnerships can help to achieve a circular economy and reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. Our solutions with recycled materials and attributed renewable feedstock prove that adopting more sustainable material solutions does not mean compromising on quality or aesthetics. If you are seeking more sustainable material solutions, please get in touch with our team to take advantage of our expertise in plastics engineering.

• 

  Efficient recycling of plastic bottles

  Alliance builds recycling value chain for plastic bottles