LyondellBasell (LYB) has partnered with Romanian car manufacturer Dacia to incorporate recycled plastic in the exterior design of the All-New Dacia Duster.
Bumpers, trims, and body side mouldings across the new car model feature a sturdy material called Starkle, made from LYB’s CirculenRecover polypropylene (PP).
The PP compound includes 20% mechanically recycled PP derived from post-industrial waste diverted from the manufacturing process of goods such as flexible packaging.
“The development of CirculenRecover polymers exemplifies our unwavering commitment to creating solutions for everyday sustainable living," said Alexandre Martin, LYB business development manager transportation. "This innovative material not only elevates the aesthetics of vehicles but also aligns with our customers' sustainability goals.”
Beyond achieving performance for automotive exteriors, CirculenRecover polymers offer a mould-in-colour special effect with particles to highlight the use of recycled content. This single-material solution also eliminates extra steps, enhances design efficiency, and can help improve the potential recyclability of the parts.
The new partnership follows LYB’s investment in a closed-loop recycling centre for automotive parts in Lich, Germany.
The facility will process waste from durable goods such as automotive and white good appliance parts. LYB will mechanically recycle these parts and incorporate them into the same applications in the automotive and white goods sectors, closing the loop on these materials. End products with recycled content will include structural parts, interior components, and visible applications.
Since the European Commission updated its Directive on end-of-life vehicles, setting a 25% recycled plastic mandate for vehicles placed on the market from July 2023, automotive brands and members of the plastic industry value chain have accelerated their efforts to transition to a circular economy for automotive parts. Dow, Borealis, Covestro, and Aimplas, for example, have all announced projects to increase the use of recycled materials in the automotive industry. Audi has recently started mass production of car grilles with recycled plastic.
LYB will showcase its CirculenRecover portfolio during Fakuma at stand B1-1112.