Spanish energy company Repsol and UK recycling specialist Saica Natur have joined forces to increase the recycling of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film waste and develop new polyolefins with post-consumer recycled materials.
The two companies announced 31 Oct that the partnership aimed to develop materials with high quality consistency for more demanding applications.
The partnership, which falls under Repsol's circular economy project Reciclex, will be carried out at the Repsol's technology centre and will make use of Saica Natur's expertise in waste management and production of LDPE recycled pellets.
"In an environment increasingly oriented to the circularity of resources, film waste recovery is a challenge and a business opportunity alike," said Roberto Gómez, circular economy manager at Repsol's Chemicals Division.
The objective of the partnership, according Gómez, is to develop materials that meet the demanding requirements of the film market.
The agreement is part of the two companies' circular economy pact which they signed last year.
Nature Cycle Plus, a division from Saica Natur, is specialised in the recovery, classification and treatment of LDPE to produce recyclates.
Saica Natur analyses the supply chain of its clients and proposes alternatives to maximise the use of resources so they can become secondary raw materials.