Leading styrenics suppliers Ineos Styrolution, Total, Trinseo and Versalis have joined forces to work together on recycling styrenics.
The four companies announced that they had founded styrenics circular solutions (SCS) on 10 Dec to use innovative technologies to ‘unlock' polystyrene's circularity potential.
“Game-changing technologies will enable polystyrene, EPS and other styrenics-based plastics to be fully recycled so that they can be used again… in high-quality applications, ultimately also for food contact,” the companies said in a 10 Dec.
The newly incorporated platform will also seek the inclusion of new members across the styrenics value chain and waste management stream to further the cause.
The SCS founding members said they would welcome partners across the entire value chain, including recyclers, waste management companies, converters and brand owners, to join them to link waste streams to “innovative recycling technologies”.
According to its website, the platform aims to accelerate the development and roll-out of the "game-changing technologies" that convert used styrene-based products back to high-quality applications, ultimately also suitable for food contact.
It also intends to "mobilise" regional waste collection and sorting partners to push more styrene-based products into recycling, creating a “pull” and clear business case
The platform, said the statement, will place a strong focus on engaging with waste collection and sorting partners to recover more polystyrene and EPS-based products.
“Today's signing marks an important milestone of our voluntary pledge,” said Jens Kathmann, secretary general of SCS.
Polystyrene, he went on to say, “has an unparalleled capacity for closed-loop recycling, when properly collected and sorted.”