A Proven Process with Broad Application
Mechanical recycling is an established method for recycling plastic at the end of its useful life. Covestro uses this process to obtain feedstocks from used water bottles, among other sources.
In mechanical recycling, recyclates are gainedfrom a source material whose basic structure is not altered. For plastics, the waste is sorted, cleaned, shredded and then melted down. This creates pellets from which new products can be manufactured. However, this only works for thermoplastics and if the waste is sufficiently pure and clean.
Using mechanical recycling, Covestro produces high-quality plastic components from used water bottles, e.g. for electronic and household appliances as well as for luggage.
