Submit

End Plastic Waste

The future is renewable: the recycling of plastic from problem to opportunity

The continuous accumulation of plastic waste in landfills and oceans is threatening the balance of the planet. One of the most urgent environmental challenges is the reduction of plastic waste globally. Research and companies together must take charge of the issue and find technological solutions to the problem of safeguarding and optimizing such an important resource.

Plastic is a precious raw material that should not be wasted

In just over a century, plastic has changed the world. This ductile polymer has brought comfort, convenience and innovation to many aspects of our lives. It has allowed the production of essential medical devices, has revolutionized mobility, improved the portability and conservation of goods. He also helped create beauty and color, safe toys, educational tools, works of art and architecture. For all these reasons plastic products have had an enormous diffusion but the impact of their duration in terms of biodegradability has been underestimated. This feature has made plastic waste a global environmental challenge. It is estimated that over 40% of plastics are used only once and that 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans each year.

Covestro in the front line to reduce and recycle plastic waste

Covestro has been an active part of the World Economic Forum, also held this year in Davos. It is an opportunity for major global stakeholders to define global agendas and collaborate in major economic and environmental challenges.

A fundamental theme dealt with in Davos was the circular economy: how to find efficient solutions so that products and materials are brought back to the value cycle even when the use phase of an object ends. In simple words it means making plastic return to being reusable as a polymer or in molecular form. In Covestro we are already doing it. To create new value from products and materials, we study all the life stages of an artifact: from design, to manufacture, to its reuse as a new raw material.

Create infrastructure for plastic recovery

Structures designed to manage and collect waste are struggling to keep up with the sharp increase in disposable plastics. In Covestro we are operating on two fronts. On the one hand, we design and manufacture products that have a longer use life. On the other hand, we support projects that encourage the creation of systems to collect, manage and recycle polycarbonate and polyurethane materials. An example is our partnership with Soft Landing, an Australian social enterprise focused on the collection and recycling of mattresses.

Create innovative products made with recycled plastic

We work to launch new projects centered on reuse. With Full Circle Filament, we have an innovative collaboration to transform used PET bottles into high quality 3D printing filaments. This decreases the volume of plastic waste and creates a product of greater value. Because there can be no ecological project that is successful in terms of economic sustainability and that does not also have a design quality that is attractive to consumers.

Collect plastic waste to improve the environment

AEPW's strategy is to reclaim areas with a high concentration of plastic waste. Countries like India generate around 26,000 tons of plastic waste per day. More than 40% is not collected, remains on the soil and, in the worst cases, is burned producing dioxin. We are working on many projects that above all inspire the new generations to carry out collection campaigns to mitigate pollution and produce volumes of precious raw material to be reused.

Educate on waste recycling

Covestro has invested in educational projects aimed at children to sensitize the new generations to ecological behavior and to be able to change the horizons of our future. We have published a storybook centered on the theme of waste to show and encourage proactive attitudes on the theme of recycling.

The "little guardians of the earth" project was born in Taiwan together with natural parks and museums. With an app we managed to reach over 20,000 children and interactively intrigued them on the issue of sustainability.

In Hong Kong, a laboratory on microplastic was made together with the WWF. We involved 100 students and showed them how to treat waste more responsibly. The commitment is that these become ambassadors of responsible behavior towards families and friends.

Reverse the trend of plastic waste even in production

In the company we are very careful that our supply chain is not itself a producer of plastic waste. Covestro is part of the global Operation Clean Sweep initiative which aims to prevent losses of plastic pellets at sites and handling routes. Our own employees organize and participate in the cleaning actions around the plants located along the waterways. Saving plastics is part of a set of eco-sustainable actions to optimize fossil resources such as crude oil and minimize emissions.

With an innovative process we are able to produce polyols with the recovery of CO₂. An important saving that once again focuses on the circular economy and its benefits for the community. We called this Dream Project because we dream that our motto #PushingBoundaries, together with vision and innovation, will also infect other realities for the realization of a sustainable future.

Other stories of Covestro in Italy

  • Story

    Innovative materials for electric and hybrid car batteries

    Batteries evolve thanks to new polymeric materials. Electric mobility will soon be able to compete with combustion engines.

  • Story

    Gender equality in the world of work

    Inclusion and diversity represent a challenge and an opportunity, to achieve full sustainability and have innovative and competitive products.

  • Story

    Resins for 3D printing

    Resins give impetus to additive printing which replaces traditional techniques in the production of increasingly large and resistant pieces.

  • Story

    How to develop a real circular economy I Covestro

    Only with the collaboration between politics, economy and industry it’s possible to create a new model of sustainable economy that conserves the resources of the Earth.

  • Story

    CO₂ recovery and reuse: new ways of sustainability

    A Covestro plant produces polymers with recovered CO₂-based polyols and has initiated projects to use them as a substitute for conventional raw materials.

  • Story

    Biomass polymers

    Biomass and the 12 principles of green chemistry.

  • Story

    Digital transformation Chemical industry

    Digital transformation improves production processes and changes the roles of people in the company. Covestro is at the forefront of data science processes applied to industry.

  • Story

    Polymeric materials for sports shoes

    Sports shoes become super light and high performance when made with high quality and recyclable polymeric materials.

  • Story

    Alternative raw materials

    With new chemical processes it is possible to obtain carbon from biomass and CO₂ emissions. Sustainable polymers for the circular economy are born.

  • Story

    Chemical recycling

    Chemical recycling is a set of methods that allows the complete recovery of waste polymers, making the economy truly circular and sustainable.

  • Story

    Innovative methods to recover plastic waste

    Mechanical and chemical methods to recycle plastic indefinitely. How polymeric waste becomes raw material.

  • Story

    Renewable energy

    Advanced polymeric products are revolutionizing the world of wind energy by reducing costs and increasing the life of the plants.

  • Story

    Circular economy

    Chemical uses its knowledge of processes and materials to make production sustainable with recycling and recovery of raw materials.

  • Story

    Covestro signs the European alliance for a Green Recovery

    180 politicians, managers and representatives of civil society have joined forces to form a European alliance for sustainable growth after the pandemic.

  • Story

    UN targets for sustainability

    Covestro supports the United Nations' sustainable development goals. We do our part with social projects and concrete practices.

  • Story

    New materials change the city: mobility becomes sustainable

    Cities need to breathe! How innovative materials can change the face of our urban movements. Covestro`s research.

  • Story

    Sustainability: ethical practice and company growth engine

    A strategy that must involve all phases of product creation: raw materials, manufacturing, energy and suppliers.

  • Story

    The consequences of the future

    Among the undisputed macrotrends of the 21st century there is a growing increase in the demand for medical devices directly linked to the increase of our life expectancy.

  • How sustainable chemistry will look like in the next 5 years

     

     

  • Climate neutrality: companies become sustainable

     

     

Get in touch with us!

Contact form image Zoe

How would you describe yourself?

What type of material are you interested in?

What type of inquiry is this?

How can we contact you?

* Mandatory Fields

Compare