Trinseo’s Chief Technology Officer, Han Hendriks, has clear ideas about the urgency of the transition towards more sustainable mobility and the contribution Trinseo can make. Sustainable Plastics asked him to talk in a little more depth about Trinseo - ‘a company in transformation’ - and the company’s role as a materials provider.
Before diving into the topic of mobility, can you first explain a bit about what sustainability means to Trinseo?
Hendriks: Sustainability is intrinsic to all operations at Trinseo and runs through our culture. We recognise our responsibility as a materials provider, to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. That's why Trinseo has set ambitious sustainability goals for 2030, including reducing our greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 35% and achieving 75% landfill-free operations. We also aim to ensure that 100% of our suppliers adhere to the Trinseo Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes requirements for ethical and sustainable practices.
Consideration of the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and economic factors and the commitment to creating value for all stakeholders through sustainable business practices are essential for successful sustainability. That's why Trinseo is dedicated to driving positive change in all operations and the broader industry. We regularly report on our progress towards sustainability goals and are committed to transparency.
We also know that a sustainable future is dependent on the networks we build today. Trinseo values collaborative opportunities to solve major issues facing our industry. Our global partnerships are key to our sustainability strategy, as they are the foundation for building a circular economy and innovating to produce sustainably-advantaged materials. We collaborate with peers through several networks (for example, Styrenics Circular Solutions, Plastics Europe) designed to enhance environmental stewardship, innovate to develop more sustainable products, promote responsible operations, and journey ever closer toward decarbonisation.
So, how do you see the development of ‘sustainable mobility’?
The development of sustainable mobility is a crucial aspect of achieving a more sustainable future. The end goal for sustainable mobility is to be CO2-neutral and closed-loop, meaning that at the end of a vehicle’s life, all of its components are fully reused or recycled, and the consumer is using fully green energy to power their vehicle with zero emissions.
Although this end goal is still some way off, the industry has been taking steps towards achieving it. One example is reducing the vehicles’ weight and the shift towards electrifying propulsion.
Material providers are also playing a crucial role in the development of sustainable mobility. To help achieve the end goal of CO2 neutral and closed loop, they are looking into bringing more sustainable options into their feedstocks and lowering the CO2 footprint of their materials. These efforts include exploring bio feedstocks and open and closed-loop recycling from non-automotive sources.
As a materials manufacturer, how do you define sustainable materials?
As a materials manufacturer, defining sustainable materials is a crucial aspect of our commitment to sustainability. Our vision for sustainable materials is that they should be CO2-neutral and infinitely 100% recyclable, which means that they can be recycled repeatedly without any loss in performance.
However, sustainable materials must also meet performance requirements and consumer expectations. Therefore, a balance must be struck between sustainability, performance, and consumer satisfaction.
At Trinseo, we have a vision to be a global leader in sustainable materials, and are passionate about making this happen. Our R&D teams around the world are working towards this goal, exploring new options and technologies to develop materials that meet our criteria for sustainability.
Our current portfolio of environmentally advantaged materials is a reflection of the progress we have made towards our vision. This portfolio includes bio-based materials, which are segregated from fossil-based materials, bio-attributed materials that use the mass balance approach, and recycled-containing materials.
In vehicles today, what percentage of materials used are sustainable, and where will more be used in the future?
Sustainable materials are becoming increasingly important in the automotive industry. Currently, sustainable materials are used in several applications such as exterior and interior lighting, trim pieces, dashboards, pillars, mats, and under-the-hood applications such as gaskets. These materials include recycled PMMA and/or bio and recycled TPS, bio ABS, and bio and recycled TPE, TPU. Trinseo has even successfully commercialised recycled-containing PC/ABS for a safety-critical part, as part of the door carrier for a large German premium OEM.
The percentage of sustainable materials used in vehicles varies at the moment, but it is expected to continue increasing throughout the vehicle.
OEMs are also pushing the boundaries of performance for sustainably advantaged materials, as seen in other industries like consumer electronics.
When you refer to ‘circular’, what is Trinseo’s role? Does the company actively recover materials used to produce vehicles? Is it the use of recycled materials? Do you have partnerships to enable circularity?
Circularity is an essential part of Trinseo's vision for sustainable materials, and involves going beyond just selling plastics. We have capabilities in designing parts for disassembly or recycling, enabling the use of recycled materials, and creating partnerships to enable circularity.
Trinseo has acquired Heathland, a Netherlands-based recycler, to improve our access to feedstocks. We are also developing recycling technologies that improve the yield of recycled plastics, and some of the more promising technologies – proprietary to Trinseo – are currently moving into the scale-up phase.
Trinseo also has several partnerships in place, including with JSW for the recycling of PMMA and Ineos for the depolymerisation of styrene, to support circularity. Trinseo is also working increasingly earlier and closer with strategic customers in different sectors to ensure a rapid increase in the share of sustainable materials compared to all-prime equivalents. This collaboration is essential for driving the next leap in circularity.
In summary, Trinseo’s role in circularity involves not only the use of recycled materials but also designing parts for disassembly or recycling and developing recycling technologies. Our partnerships and collaborations aim to create a more circular future by enabling the recovery and reuse of materials used to produce vehicles.
What about price and availability – both are still an issue when it comes to more sustainable materials. How is Trinseo working to solve those issues?
Trinseo is actively working to address issues related to the availability, price, and quality of more sustainable materials. While availability remains a challenge, particularly for recycled feedstock, Trinseo has established strong partnerships, including the recent acquisition of Heathland, to ensure access to recycled feedstock of consistent, high quality.
We seek to source locally produced recycled feedstock for sustainability reasons, but quality and performance cannot be compromised. In cases where recycled feedstock is not yet available, Trinseo is exploring bio-based alternatives to augment our offering and bridge the gap.
Trinseo is also driving physical recycling, especially for polymers with low energy impact, which significantly reduces CO2 impact compared to the production of prime materials. The acquisition of Heathland is a first step towards ensuring a higher quantity and quality of recycled feedstock, and Trinseo is committed to continuing to develop innovative solutions to address issues related to availability and price of more sustainable materials.
