Viridor, a recycling, renewable energy and waste management company in the UK has partnered with INEOS to supply recovered polymers for hybrid recyled plastics, according to an INEOS press release. Viridor will supply the recovered polymers from its new £65m post-consumer polymers recycling plant near Bristol, is the UK’s largest multi-polymer recycling and reprocessing facility and is powered by a £252m energy recovery plant that uses non-recyclable waste to produce electricity and heat.
“Plastic is a valuable resource,” said INEOS Olefins & Polymers CEO Rob Ingram. “So much so that we want to encourage the increasing collection and recycling of plastic materials after their initial use. Our commitment to take material from this project helps to support investment in a new, state-of-the-art recycling facility. Using our polymer expertise, we will engineer a new range of polymers to incorporate high levels of recycled plastics. These new materials will meet growing demand for increased levels of recycled content without compromise to product performance and quality.”
“The partnership reflects Viridor’s emphasis on working with consumer brands and plastics companies to significantly contribute to the creation of new circular market for plastics,” said Viridor’s MD Phil Piddington. According to Piddington, Viridor’s 2019 Recycling Index, which tracks public attitudes to recycling, found that nine in 10 (89%) of those polled believe that existing plastic should be used to create useful resources, which that can be used again.
“Our index also demonstrates that future buying choices will be influenced by packaging made from recyclable material (65% – up four points from 2018 – are more likely to buy products made from recyclable material) with 76% saying there should be mandatory lessons on recycling in schools,” Piddington continued. “The message from the public could not clearer when it comes to recycling and putting recycled content back into the economy.
“The UK Government, through the Resources & Waste Strategy and 2022 plastic tax, is helping to create a foundation for the investment which allows our sector to deliver sustainability targets. Avonmouth Resource Recovery Centre demonstrates Viridor’s commitment to these goals.”
“Partnerships such as that with INEOS are crucial to the transition to the circular economy, where every product is comprised of a majority of recycled plastics, said Viridor Resource Management MD Keith Trower. “Viridor is putting environmental sustainability into practice working together with companies such as INEOS to create plastics with a lower carbon footprint with no compromise on technical performance.”
Trower continued, “This partnership brings together the expertise and investment that is the vital to translate our common sustainability targets into practical reality in the marketplace. This win-win partnership creates the important pathway to the circular economy and tackles the two tough issues of reducing the level of waste generated in cities and the creation of high value materials that can be used in high value, tailored applications across many markets. I am confident that the initiative between Viridor and INEOS will become the new paradigm in polymer manufacturing.
“Sustainable quality, which is valued by an increasingly discerning public, is key. The UK public want to understand the environmental providence of their packaging and products and this is something we are in position to confidently offer the marketplace.”
According to the INEOS press release, since Q3 2019, the compant has offered a range of polyolefins that contain up to 50% recycled content without sacrificing on performance.
