Sustainability

Results (192)

• #Circular Economy #Recycling #Sustainability #Design for Recycling #Value added chain

  31.10.2026

  The circular economy in electronics: How old casings are turned into new ones

  In 2022, around 17 million tonnes of plastic were contained in global e-waste, yet only a small proportion of this is recycled to a high standard. This article explains why legacy contaminants such as brominated flame retardants are holding things back, how design determines recyclability, what high-quality recyclates require, and which EU regulations are increasing the pressure.

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• #Circular Economy #Recycling #Sustainability #Bioplastics #Renewable energy #Recycled materials

  20.10.2026

  From BioVinyl to recycled PVC: how vinyl records are becoming more sustainable

  What do Billie Eilish, Ed Sheeran and the Red Hot Chili Peppers have to do with more sustainable plastic production? Their vinyl records provide the answer: instead of relying solely on conventional PVC, selected editions use recycled material or alternative raw materials. But how much of a difference does this make to the environment?

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• 17.09.2026

  Circular Economy in Construction: Keeping Plastics in the Loop

  Design, Data, and Deconstruction as Levers for Circular Construction Exklusiv für K-Mag Plastic pipes for various applications on a construction site. Due to their long service life, decades can pass between installation and eventual deconstruction. 17.09.2026 Plastics protect, insulate, seal, and transport and often remain in buildings for decades. This creates a particular challenge for the circular economy: How can windows, pipes, or insulation materials be reused after a long service life, or their materials recovered at high quality? Our article explores what is needed throughout the life cycle and where circular systems in construction still reach their limits today. Circular Systems with a Time Lag According to Plastics Europe , the European construction sector consumes around 10 million metric tons of plastics every year. This corresponds to roughly 20% of total European plastics consumption. A large share of these materials remains embedded in buildings and infrastructure for decades. This creates a particular timeline for the circular economy: Many years can pass between production, installation, and deconstruction. During this time, technical standards, regulatory requirements, and recovery options can change. These long service lives highlight what makes keeping materials in circulation particularly challenging in the construction sector. Why Construction Plastics Do Not Automatically Stay in the Loop Durability alone does not make a construction product circular. At the end of its service life, it must first be identified during deconstruction as a product or material that can be recovered, separated wherever possible, and directed to a suitable recovery pathway. Whether this succeeds depends on conditions throughout the entire life cycle. Three factors are particularly relevant: product design, available information about materials and properties, and structures for deconstruction, collection, and recovery. Where Circular Systems in Construction Reach Their Limits Components and materials cannot be separated without damage. Material composition and ingredients are not sufficiently documented. Aging and contamination make high-quality recovery more difficult. Earlier product generations do not always meet current requirements. Separate collection and suitable recovery pathways are lacking. Designing for Circularity from the Start Plastic mesh, profiles, and fastening elements are used in various areas of construction. Product design and material combinations also influence how easily components can be separated later. Whether a construction product can be reused after its service life or its materials can be recovered is influenced as early as the development stage. Material selection, product design, and joining techniques affect whether components can later be disassembled and separated into individual material streams as cleanly as possible. Permanent adhesives or complex material composites can limit these options. Alongside recyclability, durability, repairability, and ease of disassembly also come into focus. This kind of forward-looking planning is particularly relevant for construction products, as many years can pass between installation and deconstruction. Yet even a product designed with these considerations in mind can only be directed into an appropriate recovery pathway later if there is reliable information about the materials used. Keeping Materials Traceable for Decades After many years of use, product documentation may be missing, manufacturers may no longer exist, or detailed information about material composition may have been lost. Yet this information is important when deciding during deconstruction whether products can be reused or which recovery pathways are suitable. Digital product information is intended to help close this gap in the future. The new EU Construction Products Regulation provides for a system of digital product passports. Product-related data is intended to remain available and become more easily accessible throughout the life cycle, supporting deconstruction, reuse, and recovery at a later stage. However, a digital product passport does not in itself create a physical route back into circulation. For products and materials to actually be used again, appropriate structures for their return and recovery are also needed. Digital Product Passport for Construction Products The new EU Construction Products Regulation (EU) 2024/3110 has been in force since January 7, 2025 . It establishes the framework for a system of digital product passports for construction products. Among other things, the product passport is intended to improve traceability along the value chain . Its implementation will take place gradually through further legal acts and product-specific requirements. Closing the Loop After Deconstruction During deconstruction, components need to be separated wherever possible, collected, and then processed for reuse or recycling. In addition to technical feasibility, logistics, take-back systems, and sufficiently large, well-defined material streams also play an important role. Construction and demolition waste in particular highlights the difference between recovery and keeping materials in circulation. While large mineral fractions such as concrete are already recovered to a significant extent, plastics are often not recovered but instead incinerated or landfilled, according to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre . A high recovery rate for construction waste, therefore, says little about how effectively individual plastics are actually kept in closed loops. Two long-lasting plastic applications illustrate just how different the conditions for this can be: PVC windows and profiles, and EPS insulation. Case Study 1: PVC Windows and Profiles Application Windows and construction profiles Material PVC Circular Pathway Deconstruction → Collection → Processing → Recyclate → New products Scale In 2025, 180,724 metric tons of post-consumer PVC from the “Windows & Profiles” category were recycled as part of VinylPlus . Key Feature Existing collection and recycling structures When Recyclability Becomes a Functioning Material Stream PVC windows and profiles show that a material’s properties alone are not enough to create a circular system. Products removed during deconstruction need to be systematically collected, with structures in place for collection, processing, and the subsequent use of the recovered material. This requires well-defined material streams to be returned and suitable applications for the resulting recyclate. However, these conditions are not always in place for older construction products. Case Study 2: EPS Insulation Application Thermal insulation Material Expanded polystyrene (EPS) Circular Pathway Deconstruction → Separate collection → Processing → Removal of problematic substances → Recovered polystyrene Key Feature Older insulation materials may contain HBCD, creating specific challenges for recycling. Dealing with Legacy Materials Plastic insulation panels are installed on a building facade. Insulation materials are among the long-lasting plastic applications used in construction. EPS insulation presents a different challenge for long-lasting construction products. Older insulation boards may contain substances that were used when they were manufactured but are now subject to regulatory restrictions. One example is HBCD , which was previously used as a flame retardant. During deconstruction, the technical recyclability of polystyrene alone, therefore, does not determine whether the material can be used again. Recycling these legacy materials requires processes that can separate HBCD from the material stream . Circularity in construction must therefore also account for materials manufactured under earlier technical and regulatory frameworks. Key Learnings Plan for reuse and recovery from the start: Material selection and product design influence how components can later be reused or recovered. Preserve material information: Reliable product information helps identify plastics even after long periods of use and direct them to the appropriate recovery pathway. Plan for the necessary infrastructure: Deconstruction, collection, and processing help determine whether technical circularity can translate into a functioning circular system. Circular Economy in Construction Requires a Long-Term Perspective The construction sector makes it particularly clear that the circular economy must address two challenges at the same time: bringing legacy materials back into circulation and creating the conditions for new products to be reused or recovered at a later stage. For the plastics industry, this means considering not only the material itself, but its entire journey through use and recovery. What is designed and installed today will shape the circular systems that are possible tomorrow. More Articles in the Series: How can Circular Economy succeed across different industries? This series explores the specific challenges and solutions in a range of sectors. Articles on packaging, automotive manufacturing and consumer goods have already been published, with more industries to follow. Read the article "Circular Economy in Packaging." Read the article "Circular Economy in Automotive Manufacturing." Read the article "Circular Economy in Consumer Goods." Read the article "Circular Economy in Medical Technology." The portrait was generated by AI. Author: Melanie Prüser | K-Mag Melanie Prüser has been writing for over 6 years about the stories behind innovations, technological developments, and societal challenges across various industries. For K-Mag, she explores sustainable trends, the latest innovations, and future topics along the value chain of the plastics and rubber industry. At a glance Product design influences subsequent disassembly and recovery. Material data provides transparency throughout long service lives. Take-back structures return recovered plastics to the material stream. Key Takeaway: In construction, it may take many years before a product's actual circularity becomes apparent. Decisions made today therefore shape the circular systems of tomorrow. More around Sustainability

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• 08.09.2026

  Bio-based xPBS Foam: An Alternative to PE Foams?

  xPBS Combines Bio-based Raw Materials with Processing on Existing Extrusion Lines Exclusively for K-Mag The bio-based xPBS foam, made from polybutylene succinate (PBS), can be processed on existing extrusion lines. 08.09.2026 Bio-based plastics are particularly attractive for industrial applications when they can be integrated into existing production processes. This is precisely where the xPBS and xPBS Food projects, funded by the Fraunhofer Clusters of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy (CCPE), come in: The Fraunhofer Institutes ICT, IAP, IVV, and LBF are collaborating on the development and evaluation of the feasibility of a bio-based foam based on polybutylene succinate (PBS). The foam developed can be processed on existing extrusion lines. In our interview, Anja Dennard from Fraunhofer ICT and Dr. Jens Balko from Fraunhofer IAP discuss the properties of xPBS, potential applications, and the next steps toward industrial implementation. Processing on Existing Production Lines Anja Dennard, Project Manager at Fraunhofer ICT What was the biggest challenge in developing PBS foam so that it could be processed on existing extrusion lines? Anja Dennard: The property profile of PBS is generally well-suited for processing the polymer in the extrusion process without requiring any equipment modifications. In the foaming process, the biggest challenges are high melt strength combined with high elasticity. This requires either a material modification during synthesis or the addition of additives during processing. Can xPBS already replace PE foams on a one-to-one basis, or are there still applications where that doesn’t work? Dennard: PBS and PE have similar property profiles but are suited for different applications. PE is the standard plastic that has been technically refined over decades and is economically well-established. It is characterized by low cost, high availability, excellent chemical and moisture resistance, good long-term stability, and an established recycling infrastructure. Therefore, PE is particularly well-suited for durable packaging, technical molded parts, pipes, containers, and standard films. Dr. Jens Balko, Head of the Schwarzheide Processing Technology Center at Fraunhofer IAP Reuse and Safe Reprocessing Jens Balko: Mechanically, PBS is just as flexible and tough as PE, but at the same time it is somewhat more sensitive to long-term stress. Medium-density foams are very well suited for applications using PBS. The lowest foam densities still pose a challenge for PBS materials. We are working on that. The applications for these foams range from engineering parts and profiles to packaging materials. PBS can be produced using entirely bio-based raw materials and is already available today. In addition, the raw materials can also be derived from agricultural and forestry residues or food waste. Therefore, if a customer needs a flexible, mass-market plastic with a reduced carbon footprint, PBS is the perfect choice. If the release of microplastics into the environment is to be reduced—though some loss into the environment cannot be avoided at all—the biodegradability of PBS plays a role. Compostable packaging and biodegradable single-use products are also of interest for certain applications. Therefore, it is not technically possible to claim that one of the two materials is universally superior. The choice of material should be application-specific and take into account both processability and end-of-life requirements. Is xPBS already price-competitive with PE foams? Balko: Due to its higher price and lower market availability, PBS is currently not competitive with PE. But—and this is an important “but”—we are seeing increasing price volatility, rising prices, and a sharp rise in uncertainty regarding availability and supply for petroleum-based plastics such as PE. PBS, on the other hand, can be produced entirely from raw materials available in Europe. We have short, controlled, and secure supply chains. This provides security for the customer. Some companies have already recognized this advantage of PBS. From Pilot Project to Industrial Application Is xPBS already being utilized by companies in the field, and how would you assess its overall acceptance in the industry? Balko: So far, we are not aware of any companies that have brought xPBS-based products to market. However, pilot projects are currently underway, and there is a great deal of interest in them. We at Fraunhofer are conducting these pilot studies—ideally in collaboration with the customer—to quickly scale up to industrial production. In which area do you see the greatest short-term potential for xPBS to replace fossil-based foams? Dennard: The future potential of PBS is seen primarily in applications where flexibility, toughness, and, in some cases, biodegradability are all required. However, for a broader market breakthrough, material costs must fall, industrial availability must increase, and processing windows—especially in the foam sector—must be further improved. PBS is therefore not a direct mass substitute for polyolefins, but a promising specialty material for sustainability-oriented applications. Regarding the follow-up project xPBS-food: Why is a separate project necessary for this? Dennard: Foam packaging that comes into contact with food is subject to stricter requirements in terms of safety, compliance, and sensory acceptance than foams used in non-food sectors such as construction, automotive, or leisure. This is particularly relevant for PBS when additives are used. The project and its development are still ongoing. The xPBS-food project addresses a particularly sensitive area of application that, due to the nature of the material, is very well suited for demonstration as a future use case. The portrait was generated by AI. Author: Melanie Prüser | K-Mag Melanie Prüser has been writing for over 6 years about the stories behind innovations, technological developments, and societal challenges across various industries. For K-Mag, she explores sustainable trends, the latest innovations, and future topics along the value chain of the plastics and rubber industry. At a glance xPBS is a bio-based foam made from PBS. It can be processed on existing extrusion lines. Potential applications include packaging and technical uses. Key Takeaway: xPBS offers a bio-based alternative to PE foams for select applications—PBS is not currently a mass substitute. More around Sustainability

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• 27.08.2026

  Circular Economy in Medical Technology: Which Approach Fits Which Product?

  Which circular pathways are suitable for medical devices? This article explores how hygiene, safety, materials, regulation and infrastructure shape reuse, reprocessing and recycling.

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• 10.08.2026

  PPWR: the new EU Packaging Regulation – this applies now

  We give you an overview of the key points that are important right now. 10.08.2026 From 12 August, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – the new packaging regulation superseding the previous Packaging Directive – applies across the entire EU. For the plastics and rubber industry, it brings far-reaching new requirements for the design, labelling and documentation of packaging. What exactly is the PPWR? The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) is the new European regulation on packaging and packaging waste. It officially entered into force on 11 February 2025 and, unlike the previous Packaging Directive 94/62/EC, creates for the first time a uniform legal framework for packaging across the entire EU. What purpose does the PPWR serve? The aim of the regulation is to significantly reduce packaging waste and thereby strengthen the circular economy in the EU. The associated objectives include: Reduction of packaging waste Improving the recyclability of packaging Binding requirements on recycled content, reusability and compostability Uniform labelling standards to facilitate correct disposal From when, and for whom, does the PPWR apply? From 12 August 2026, the PPWR becomes binding for all companies that have packaging or packaged goods on the European market, or place them on the market for the first time. This affects: Companies that design, manufacture, fill or import packaging Companies that place packaged goods on the market under their own brand Online retailers that ship goods to consumers Not all obligations under the PPWR take effect immediately. Further-reaching requirements will be phased in up to 2040, including binding minimum recycled-content quotas and broader reuse quotas. What must manufacturers now bear in mind? With the deadline in place, the following obligations become particularly relevant: Declaration of conformity: manufacturers must use this to confirm, for each item of packaging, that it meets the requirements of the regulation. Labelling: implementation of uniform labelling standards Reuse requirements for certain packaging formats Chemical requirements: for food packaging, new, stricter limits on PFAS now apply, as do limits on heavy metals. Companies must therefore clarify at an early stage which role (e.g. manufacturer, importer) they hold for their respective packaging – as this determines the specific obligations that apply. Our practical tip: Meeting the declaration-of-conformity requirements under the PPWR calls for extensive data. The PPWR Compass can help bring this together: this AI-based tool automatically consolidates data from various sources. You can find out more in our articles: PPWR compliance: a challenge for manufacturers – how can AI help? PPWR: how the AI-based Compliance Compass can help More around Sustainability

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• 29.07.2026

  Agricultural Plastics in the Circular Economy: What Happens to Greenhouse Films After the Season?

  Not all agricultural plastics end up being recycled. How longer durability and biodegradability keep films out of the waste stream. A Look at the German Market. Exclusively for K-Mag 29.07.2026 One film should last as long as possible, the other should break down as quickly as possible. That sounds contradictory – but it is the answer to one and the same question: How do you keep agricultural plastics out of the waste stream and out of the soil? The Problem: What Isn't Collected Stays in the Soil Modern agriculture can barely function without plastic films. Films keep silage fresh, warm the soil, suppress weeds, and protect asparagus and strawberries. German farms use around 83,000 tonnes of such agricultural plastics every year – films, nets, twines and fleeces. The problem comes afterwards. If a film is not collected after use, it does not simply disappear. It gradually breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, remaining in the soil as microplastics – in the very place where our food grows. According to a study by Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Ökopol commissioned by NABU , more than 13,000 tonnes of plastic enter German agricultural soils every year in this way. For many films, a solution already exists: the ERDE initiative . It takes back used agricultural films and sends them for recycling. According to its own figures, this covers more than 60 percent of all agricultural films sold in Germany – around 37,342 tonnes in 2025. This works best for robust films that can be removed from the field in one piece. Silage, stretch and asparagus films can be cleanly removed after the season, bundled and recycled. Greenhouse and Mulch Films: The Difficult Cases For two types of film, this approach reaches its limits. The first is greenhouse films. They have only recently been fully integrated into the ERDE system, which means collection rates are still low. A large proportion still ends up as waste or is incinerated rather than entering the circular economy. The second is thin mulch films, which lie flat on the field. They are often paper-thin, slit and covered with soil at the edges. Anyone trying to collect them after harvest ends up tearing them into shreds – and those shreds stay in the soil. According to the same NABU study, mulch films alone leave around 9 kilograms of plastic per hectare per year in agricultural land. And what is torn and embedded in the soil can hardly be recycled. This is the crux of the problem: not every film can simply be collected and recycled. One is still too new to the system, the other too thin to recover. For manufacturers and suppliers, the question is: how do you keep these films out of the waste stream – and out of the soil? There are two very different answers. Depending on the film, one or the other will apply. Route A: Films That Simply Last Longer The first route focuses on durability. Agricultural films have a tough job: intense sunlight, extreme heat and aggressive chemicals such as sulphur and chlorine from crop protection products. All of this takes its toll on the material until it becomes brittle and tears. Heat and light stabilisers can help here. They halt the damaging chain reaction within the plastic before it takes hold. BASF , for example, offers the stabilisers Tinuvin NOR 356 and Tinuvin NOR 211 AR for this purpose. They are designed for greenhouse films that must withstand years of sun and pesticide exposure. The logic is straightforward: what lasts longer needs to be replaced less often – meaning less waste per season. A second trend that such stabilisers support is downgauging: thinner films with equivalent performance. Less material, longer service life, better recyclability – these go hand in hand. For greenhouse films, this effect is particularly significant, as they are already in use for several years. Rather than degrading in place, they are collected at the end of their life and recycled. And the longer they last, the less frequently a new one is needed. Route B: Films That Simply Break Down The second route reverses the logic entirely. Some films do not need to be collected at all – they break down in the soil on their own. Biodegradable plastics are decomposed by microorganisms into water, CO₂ and biomass, leaving no microplastics behind. This is precisely the approach taken by the "Huminmulch" project at Fraunhofer UMSICHT : a biodegradable mulch film containing humic substances. After the season, it and its nutrients are absorbed into the soil. For thin mulch films that are almost impossible to recover from the field, this could be a way out. There is no longer any need to collect them – and yet no plastic fragments remain in the soil. The catch: biodegradable does not always mean biodegradable in the same way. How quickly and completely a film breaks down depends heavily on soil conditions and weather. For PLA, the range spans from near-complete breakdown within 180 days to virtually none over an entire year. Standards therefore provide clarity. The DIN EN 17033 standard applies specifically to mulch films: in soil at 20 to 28 °C, at least 90 percent must have disappeared within a maximum of 24 months. The "OK biodegradable SOIL" certification from TÜV Austria sets slightly stricter requirements. An important distinction is "industrially compostable" (standard EN 13432): what breaks down in a composting facility does not automatically do so in a field. Which Route and When? It Depends on the Film The two routes are not in competition. They suit different applications. Biodegradable films are most effective where collection and recycling are barely feasible – that is, for thin mulch films. Their market share remains very small, at one to two percent. Nor are they automatically the more sustainable option: the German Federal Environment Agency notes that bio-based plastics do not necessarily perform better across their entire life cycle. For thick, multi-year films, the situation is reversed. Greenhouse, thermal and asparagus films can be cleanly removed from the field and recycled to a high standard – asparagus films last an average of six to eight years. Here, the combination of durability and organised collection is clearly the better approach. NABU puts it plainly: recycling keeps the raw material in the loop; composting removes it. For greenhouse films at the end of the season, this means specifically: additives extend their service life. And the better systems like ERDE are at capturing them, the more likely they are to become a new raw material rather than waste. There is no single perfect solution – but for many films, there is the right one. How Does ERDE Work? The ERDE initiative (Erntekunststoffe Recycling Deutschland) is the take-back and recovery system for agricultural plastics, founded in 2013. It is run by IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen, operated by RIGK GmbH and funded by manufacturers. In 2026, more than 700 collection points and over 160 partners are available across Germany. Farmers drop off their used films clean and sorted by type – at significantly lower cost than incineration. All films collected through ERDE are recycled entirely through mechanical processes within Europe. In 2025, this amounted to 37,342 tonnes, saving around 37,042 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. Through a voluntary commitment to the Federal Environment Ministry, the industry aims to collect more than 75 percent of all silage and stretch films by 2027. International Rules and Guidelines EU – binding: The REACH restriction on intentionally added microplastics (Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, in force since October 2023) prohibits microplastics in many products. Transitional periods apply to agriculture: from October 2028, certain fertilisers not covered by EU rules may no longer contain microplastics; from October 2031, the same applies to plant protection products and treated seeds. Only biodegradable polymers will remain permitted. Basel Convention – binding (international): Since January 2021, the Plastic Waste Amendments regulate the cross-border trade in plastic waste. Exports – such as collected agricultural films to recycling facilities abroad – are only permitted with prior consent from the receiving and transit countries. FAO – voluntary: The Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Plastics in Agriculture has been available in preliminary form since February 2025. It is not binding and has not yet been formally adopted by the FAO Committee on Agriculture (COAG), but is open to countries for voluntary application. It is based on the 6R principle: Refuse, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover. OECD & UN – data foundation and outlook: The OECD's Global Plastics Outlook provides the figures and policy scenarios underpinning many regulatory frameworks – without itself being binding. In parallel, UN member states have been negotiating a global plastics treaty since 2022; as of 2026, an agreement has yet to be reached. Author: Jennifer Meyer | K-Mag Jennifer Meyer is a member of the K editorial team and is interested in the stories behind trends and technologies in the plastics industry. What drives her? The question of how plastics are changing—and what that means for people. With her eye for detail and a passion for sustainable concepts, she creates content that not only informs but also sparks curiosity. More around Sustainability

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• 28.07.2026

  Circular Economy in Consumer Goods: How Closed Material Loops Can Be Achieved

  Enabling Circularity in Consumer Goods Exclusively for K-Mag Long-lasting consumer goods place high demands on design, repairability and recycling – making effective material loops essential. Copyright: Media_photos / Envato 28.07.2026 Consumer goods present particular challenges for the Circular Economy. A wide variety of materials, demanding design and performance requirements, and short product life cycles make it difficult to establish closed material loops. At the same time, new approaches are emerging that integrate circularity into product development from the outset and enable high-quality recyclates to be incorporated into new products. Why Circular Economy Is Particularly Challenging for Consumer Goods Consumer goods cover a wide range of products. A tennis shoe, a vacuum cleaner and a children’s toy all serve different purposes – and are therefore designed in very different ways. Material selection is primarily driven by requirements such as strength, weight, tactile properties and durability. As a result, many products consist of material combinations that are difficult to separate and recycle efficiently. The challenge is compounded by the fact that high-quality recyclates used in consumer goods often have to meet the same standards as virgin materials. Visible surfaces, precision components and heavily used parts allow little room for variations in quality. To enable recycled plastics to be used again in demanding applications, both the material streams and the recycling processes must deliver consistently high quality. The key question is therefore not only how products can be recycled at the end of their life cycle. Equally important is ensuring that the right conditions are established during product development. Why Consumer Goods Are Difficult to Keep in the Loop Diverse material portfolio: Different plastics, additives and other materials make it difficult to create clean and consistent material streams. Stringent quality requirements: Recyclates often need to meet the same standards for appearance, tactile properties and performance as virgin materials. Complex product designs: Bonded, welded and permanently joined components complicate dismantling and recycling. Varying product life cycles: Consumer goods range from short-lived products to durable household appliances, creating different requirements for collection and recycling. Connected value chains: Circular systems only work when product development, manufacturing, use, collection and recycling are aligned. Design Determines the Future Material Loop Copyright: Fraunhofer CCPE/Mike Henning Whether a consumer product can be recycled at high quality at the end of its life is often decided long before it is ever used – during product development. Every material combination, adhesive bond and additional component influences how easily the materials can later be separated and recovered. As a result, product design is becoming an increasingly important element of the Circular Economy. The goal is to develop products that fulfil their intended function while also being easy to repair, dismantle and recycle. Where technically feasible, mono-material solutions replace complex material combinations. This simplifies sorting and creates the basis for high-quality recyclates without compromising product performance. One example is the Mono-Material Modular System project , in which the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy (CCPE) and industry partners are developing design and material concepts that consider future material recovery from the very beginning of product development. Rather than addressing recyclability only at the end of a product’s life cycle, it is treated as a key design criterion from the outset. In other words, circularity does not begin with recycling – it starts with the decisions made during product development. This perspective is also reflected in product design. In an interview with K-Mag, designer Chris Bangle describes this broader approach as follows: “It means we need designers who think beyond the immediate product and consider the next product as well, so that both can work.” Without Collection Systems, the Material Loop Remains Incomplete Even a product designed for recyclability can only re-enter the material loop if it is collected after use. This is a particular challenge for consumer goods. Many products are disposed of with household waste, remain unused in cupboards for years or end up in collection systems that do not support high-quality material recycling. As a result, valuable plastics are lost to the Circular Economy. This is why take-back and collection systems are becoming increasingly important. They help ensure that materials are collected as cleanly and consistently as possible, providing the foundation for high-quality recycling processes. Only when sufficient quantities of suitable material are available can recyclates be used in demanding applications. Copyright: Decathlon × Renewaball Used tennis and padel balls are among the products for which established recycling routes have long been lacking. Together with the UK company Renewaball, Decathlon has therefore introduced a take-back scheme that collects used balls and transforms them into sports flooring and other products. The example highlights an often overlooked aspect of the Circular Economy: the bottleneck is frequently not the recycling technology itself, but the effective recovery of suitable material streams. High-Quality Recyclates Bring Plastics Back into Demanding Applications Not every recycled plastic is suitable for demanding consumer goods. Visible surfaces, tight dimensional tolerances and high mechanical loads place stringent requirements on the material. For a long time, this meant that many applications relied exclusively on virgin plastics. New recycling concepts for engineering plastics are beginning to change this picture. Success depends not only on the recycling process itself, but also on the quality of the input material and its targeted preparation. The cleaner and more consistent the material streams, the greater the opportunity to reintroduce recyclates into high-value applications. One example comes from HolyPoly and the Swiss household appliance manufacturer V-ZUG. Together, they are producing high-quality ABS recyclates from plastics recovered from end-of-life household appliances. These recyclates are then used in visible components of new appliances. Instead of being downcycled into less demanding applications, the material returns to products with high standards for quality and appearance. This demonstrates that high-quality recyclates can also be used in demanding consumer goods. They expand the potential applications for recycled plastics and help reduce the demand for virgin materials – provided that product design, take-back systems and recycling processes work together. Closing Material Loops Instead of Simply Recycling Materials Recycling alone says little about how effectively a material can be used afterwards. If materials are only suitable for less demanding applications after recycling, part of their original value is lost. One of the central objectives of the Circular Economy is therefore to keep materials in circulation at a comparable quality level for as long as possible. This principle also applies to other material groups. With its RE:FIBRE initiative , Puma aims to turn production waste and used textiles into new garments. The focus is on creating a closed material loop in which one textile becomes another, rather than being diverted into lower-value applications. The more often materials can be reused in comparable applications, the lower the demand for virgin raw materials. At the same time, the requirements for sorting, processing and material quality increase. High-value material loops are therefore not created by a single technological step, but by the interaction of product design, take-back systems and recycling. What Can Consumer Goods Companies Learn from This? The examples from the sporting goods and household appliance sectors reflect a broader trend across the consumer goods industry. While products differ significantly in terms of function, material composition and service life, the fundamental requirements for a successful Circular Economy remain the same: materials should be kept in circulation for as long as possible without compromising their quality or performance. Achieving this requires more than optimising individual process steps. Products designed for circularity are easier to dismantle, allowing materials to be separated more efficiently and recycled at higher quality. Equally important are effective take-back systems and recycling processes that deliver recyclates suitable for demanding applications. Only when these elements work together can robust material loops be established. For consumer goods companies, this also requires a shift in perspective. Rather than focusing solely on the individual product, the emphasis is on keeping the materials it contains in circulation across multiple life cycles – an approach that is becoming increasingly important for a functioning Circular Economy. Circular Economy in Consumer Goods Requires More Than Recycling Closed material loops do not happen by chance. They are the result of a series of coordinated decisions – from material selection and product development to take-back systems, sorting and high-quality recycling. Only when these elements work together can plastics retain their value across multiple product generations. Designer Chris Bangle expresses this broader perspective on product development in his K-Mag interview. For him, sustainable design begins with considering how a product – and the materials it contains – can continue to create value beyond its first life cycle. As he concludes: “If we want a sustainable world in the future, sustainability will not simply mean ‘disposing of waste in the best possible way’. It will mean a complete cycle – viewed from a much broader perspective than we have today.” Key Learnings Circularity starts with product development. Material selection, product design and joining techniques largely determine how easily products can later be repaired, dismantled and recycled. Take-back systems are a key building block of the Circular Economy. High-quality recycling depends on suitable material streams being returned to the loop in the first place. The quality of recyclates determines their potential for reuse. The cleaner and more consistent the material streams, the greater the opportunity to replace virgin plastics – even in demanding applications. Closed material loops can only be achieved through collaboration. Product developers, material suppliers, recyclers and brand owners must work together across the value chain to develop effective solutions. More Articles in the Series How can Circular Economy succeed across different industries? This series explores the specific challenges and solutions in a range of sectors. Articles on packaging, automotive manufacturing and consumer goods have already been published, with more industries to follow. Read the article "Circular Economy in Packaging." Read the article "Circular Economy in Automotive Manufacturing." Read the article "Circular Economy in Medical Technology." Read the article "Circular Economy in Construction." The portrait was generated by AI. Author: Nadine Lormis | K-Mag For more than 15 years, Nadine Lormis has been covering innovation, technological developments and societal challenges across a wide range of industries. For K-Mag, she explores current trends, sustainable concepts and future-oriented topics throughout the plastics and rubber industry's value chain. At a glance Design for Recycling lays the foundation for closed material loops in consumer goods. Take-back systems provide the basis for returning high-quality materials to the loop. High-quality recyclates make it possible to reuse materials while maintaining a comparable level of quality. Key Takeaway: Circular Economy in consumer goods is driven by the interaction of product design, take-back systems and high-quality recyclates – not by recycling alone. More around Sustainability

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• 16.07.2026

  More Sustainable Plastic Applications: Polycarbonate Recycling, Material Reduction and Bio-Based Plastics

  3 current approaches from Trinseo & Signify, Jokey, and ALPLA & BIOGENA Exclusively for K-Mag Foto: BIOGENA / David Wedenig 16.07.2026 The new EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation is increasing pressure on the automotive industry to keep plastics and other materials in the loop for longer. At the same time, composite materials, long product life cycles and strict quality requirements make implementation challenging. Three examples show the role that material selection, vehicle design and recycling can play. Polycarbonate Recycling for New Lighting Applications Polycarbonate components from municipal street lighting systems present particular challenges for material recycling. End-of-life covers are still mostly incinerated or sent to landfill. Trinseo and Signify are therefore pursuing an approach that keeps the material in circulation within the same application. The components are collected in the Netherlands and processed by Trinseo using its dissolution technology. This produces a polycarbonate compound containing 75% recycled content while meeting defined requirements for color and light transmission. Signify myCreation then converts the material into filament for the 3D printing of new pendant lampshades. This makes it possible to reuse a previously difficult-to-recycle polycarbonate waste stream for new lighting applications. Reducing Material Use Through ThinWall Technology Alongside recycling, reducing material consumption is another approach to improving sustainability. Jokey has developed the JSLB 1090, a one-liter container weighing just 30 grams, including the lid. The packaging: is made entirely from mono-material polypropylene is fully recyclable is based on the company's proprietary ThinWall technology, which enables thinner wall sections while maintaining functionality According to the company, the container continues to meet the requirements of industrial filling, transport and logistics processes. The approach: reducing material use while maintaining functionality. Bio-Based Packaging from Sugarcane Residues ALPLA and BIOGENA are pursuing another approach to more sustainable plastic applications. Together, the companies have developed a packaging solution made from bio-based polyethylene (Bio-PE), produced from residues generated during sugarcane processing. The packaging is designed for the HDPE recycling stream and was developed with a focus on product protection, transport efficiency and ease of use. The aim was to create packaging that is recyclable while also contributing to lower CO₂ emissions. The approach combines bio-based raw materials with a recyclable packaging concept and demonstrates another way of partially replacing fossil-based raw materials. Context: Different Approaches to a More Sustainable Plastics Industry The three examples illustrate the wide range of approaches currently being pursued to improve sustainability in the plastics industry. Closed material loops, material reduction and bio-based raw materials represent different strategies, while equally contributing to a more resource-efficient use of plastics. Together, they reflect developments that are shaping international industry discussions and are regularly showcased at K. Author: Sofia Vallejo More around Sustainability

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• 17.06.2026

  Circular Economy in the Automotive Industry: How Material Selection, Vehicle Design and Recycling Work Together

  New EU requirements and innovative concepts are advancing circularity in automotive manufacturing Exclusively for K-Mag Vehicle components are made of various materials. Their recovery and recycling are among the key challenges of the circular economy in the automotive industry. Copyright: traimakivan / envato 17.06.2026 The new EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation is increasing pressure on the automotive industry to keep plastics and other materials in the loop for longer. At the same time, composite materials, long product life cycles and strict quality requirements make implementation challenging. Three examples show the role that material selection, vehicle design and recycling can play. Circular Economy in Automotive Manufacturing Starts with Material Selection and Design When a vehicle reaches the end of its service life, it leaves behind more than just steel, aluminium and copper. Plastics also play a significant role: around 200 kilograms of plastic waste are generated from each end-of-life vehicle . The challenge is to recover these materials at the highest possible quality and return them to the production cycle. Whether this can be achieved is largely determined during the design phase. Vehicles must meet stringent safety and quality requirements and often remain in service for many years. To ensure that materials can be kept in circulation later on, material selection, component design and ease of dismantling must be considered from the outset. This is precisely where the new EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation comes in. Among other objectives, it aims to increase the use of recycled content, improve vehicle dismantling and promote the recovery of valuable raw materials. Why Circular Economy Is Particularly Challenging in the Automotive Industry Complex material combinations: Different materials are often difficult to separate and recycle. Long product life cycles: Vehicles frequently remain in use for many years or even decades. Stringent quality requirements: Recycled materials must meet defined technical and performance specifications. Global supply chains: Materials and components pass through numerous processing and manufacturing stages. Diverse material portfolio: Creating pure and consistent material streams is challenging. EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation: Key Objectives Increase the use of recycled plastics in vehicles Improve vehicle dismantling and material recovery Promote high-quality recycling Integrate circularity into vehicle design from the outset Strengthen producer responsibility Alternative Materials: What Role Can New Feedstock Sources Play? Apple scraps from the food industry are used as raw material for bio-based leather alternatives. Copyright: Covestro The choice of materials also influences how products are manufactured, used and ultimately recovered at the end of their life cycle. As a result, the automotive industry is increasingly exploring alternative feedstock sources. One example is a bio-based leather alternative made in part from residues generated during apple processing. The concept uses by-products from the food industry and integrates them into new value chains. In doing so, it highlights an approach that addresses the raw-material dimension of the Circular Economy. Learn more about the project in this news article! Design for Circularity: Circular Economy Starts with Vehicle Development The SUE People Mover demonstrates how recyclable materials and circular vehicle design can be integrated from the very start of the development process. Copyright: UE | STUDIOS A key prerequisite for closed material loops is established during the development of vehicles and components. Materials must be selected and integrated in a way that allows them to be easily separated, sorted and recycled at the end of their service life. This approach is reflected in concepts such as Covestro’s SUE People Mover and the reECONIC concept vehicle . While differing in their implementation, both demonstrate how circularity can be considered from the earliest stages of material selection and product design. Examples include mono-material approaches and designs that facilitate the dismantling of components. Learn more about the SUE People Mover in this (German) news article! Closed-Loop Recycling: Keeping Plastics in the Loop At the end of a vehicle’s life cycle, the key question is how the materials used can be recovered at the highest possible value. This challenge is being addressed by the Car2Car research project at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Researchers are investigating how plastics from end-of-life vehicles can be sorted and processed in a way that enables their reuse in automotive applications. The goal is closed-loop recycling, keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible. The challenge is considerable. Once end-of-life vehicles have been shredded, complex material streams containing different plastics, metals and other materials are created. Producing high-quality recyclates from these streams requires the various plastic fractions to be identified and separated as accurately as possible. The project highlights the potential of advanced sorting and recycling technologies. At the same time, it demonstrates the close link between recycling and vehicle development: the easier materials are to identify and separate, the greater the opportunity to return them to high-value applications. Best Practice: Closing the Plastics Loop An Audi pilot project demonstrates how plastic packaging waste can be transformed into assembly aids using 3D printing, creating a new use cycle within the production facility. The report offers insights into the practical implementation of a closed-loop plastics system. What Does Circular Economy Mean for the Automotive Industry? Circular Economy in the automotive industry is not a single solution but a challenge that spans the entire vehicle life cycle. Material selection, product design and recycling processes must be aligned to keep materials in circulation for as long as possible. The new EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation is expected to further accelerate this transition. More stringent requirements for recycled content, vehicle dismantling and circularity are increasing pressure on manufacturers and suppliers to integrate material loops into product development and production processes. At the same time, significant challenges remain. Complex material combinations, stringent quality requirements and the limited availability of high-quality recyclates continue to complicate the implementation of closed-loop systems. However, many of the necessary building blocks are already in place. The key challenge will be to connect them more effectively across the value chain. Key Learnings The foundations for closed material loops are established through material selection and product design. Mono-material approaches and improved dismantling facilitate the recovery and recycling of components and materials. High-quality plastics recycling depends on clean and well-sorted material streams. Regulatory requirements are becoming an increasingly important driver of Circular Economy initiatives. Alternative feedstocks can complement circular strategies but cannot replace recycling. Circular Economy can only succeed through collaboration across the entire value chain. Conclusion: Taking a Holistic Approach to Circular Economy in Automotive Manufacturing Whether materials can remain in circulation is not determined only at the end of a vehicle’s life cycle. In the automotive industry, Circular Economy does not begin with the recycling of end-of-life vehicles. It starts much earlier – with material selection, vehicle design and feedstock strategy. More Articles in the Series How can Circular Economy succeed across different industries? This series explores the specific challenges and solutions in a range of sectors. Articles on packaging, automotive manufacturing and consumer goods have already been published, with more industries to follow. Read the article "Circular Economy in Packaging." Read the article "Circular Economy in Consumer Goods." Read the article "Circular Economy in Medical Technology." Read the article "Circular Economy in Construction." The portrait was generated by AI. Author: Nadine Lormis | K-Mag For more than 15 years, Nadine Lormis has been covering innovation, technological developments and societal challenges across a wide range of industries. For K-Mag, she explores current trends, sustainable concepts and future-oriented topics throughout the plastics and rubber industry's value chain. At a glance Circular Economy in the automotive industry starts with material selection and vehicle design. The EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation is increasing pressure to close material loops more effectively. Alternative feedstocks, design for circularity and closed-loop recycling complement each other throughout the vehicle life cycle. Key Takeaway: In the automotive industry, Circular Economy does not begin with recycling. It starts with material selection, product design and feedstock strategy. More around Sustainability

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• 03.06.2026

  When Chemical Plants Heat Homes: Industrial Waste Heat Becomes a Source of Energy

  Henkel and Evonik demonstrate how process heat can become a key component of the heating transition Exclusively for K-Mag Industrial plants generate large amounts of waste heat during production processes, which could be used for district heating networks. 03.06.2026 When the heating comes on in the morning or hot water flows from the tap, very few people think of chemical production. Yet it is precisely there that thermal energy is generated every day, much of which has often gone unused until now. Initial projects are demonstrating how industrial companies can use this waste heat to supply households. Industrial Waste Heat Is Converted into Heating Energy How it works: Industrial waste heat is generated during production processes, such as when cooling equipment or during chemical reactions. This energy is harnessed via heat exchangers or heat pumps . The heat is then fed into a district heating network . Households receive heating and hot water through this network. Henkel: Industrial Waste Heat for the District Heating Network Henkel and Stadtwerke Düsseldorf are using industrial waste heat to supply district heating to the south of Düsseldorf. Copyright: Daniel Koke A project by Henkel and Stadtwerke Düsseldorf demonstrates how industrial waste heat is already being integrated into the heating supply today. A new energy centre has been built on the factory premises in Düsseldorf-Holthausen, which feeds industrial waste heat into the district heating network. Among other things, this involved laying a pipeline around 3.6 kilometres long to the surrounding neighbourhoods. The previously unused heat from production is processed via heat exchangers and then used to supply heat to households. According to the project partners, this is expected to save around 6,500 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Above all, this example demonstrates one thing: industrial waste heat cannot simply be 'switched on'. For such projects to work, industrial companies, energy suppliers and local authorities must work closely together – technically, economically and in terms of infrastructure. Evonik: Heat Pump Makes Use of Low-Temperature Waste Heat The high-temperature heat pump at the Evonik site in Herne makes industrial low-temperature waste heat usable for district heating. Copyright: Evonik A project at the Evonik site in Herne goes one step further. There, Evonik and Uniper are using a high-temperature heat pump to convert industrial low-temperature waste heat into district heating. This is set to supply around 1,000 households . The challenge: the cooling water from production initially reaches only around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. This is not sufficient for conventional district heating networks. The heat pump therefore raises the temperature to up to 130 degrees Celsius. The project demonstrates how important new heat pump technologies could become for industrial heat utilisation. This is because many existing district heating networks still operate with high flow temperatures. Benefits of Using Industrial Waste Heat for Heating Using industrial waste heat for heating offers a number of benefits for cities, energy suppliers and industry: Supplying households with climate-friendly heat Reduced use of fossil fuels Better utilisation of existing energy A new role for industry in local heating supply Salvatore Ardito, Head of Asset Management and Project Development for Generation, and Overall Project Manager for the heating partnership between Stadtwerke Düsseldorf and Henkel Why isn't industrial waste heat used on a widespread basis for heating? "Not every industrial plant generates waste heat in quantities, at temperatures, or with the availability required for external use. Furthermore, a heating network must either be located nearby or first be established at considerable expense . The construction of new pipelines, energy centres and transfer stations is complex, costly and subject to extensive regulatory approval processes . At the same time, such projects require long-term partnerships between industry, energy suppliers and the public sector. Planning, financing and implementation often take several years. Industrial waste heat will therefore not replace the heat supply across the board, but where the conditions are right, it can become an important building block of the heat transition – particularly in cities and industrial regions." Industry as Part of the Heat Transition Projects such as those in Düsseldorf and Herne demonstrate the potential that previously untapped industrial waste heat offers for heat supply. This also opens up a new role for the chemical industry: not only as an energy consumer, but also as a potential source of energy for towns and local authorities. In future, the heat transition could therefore take place not only in boiler rooms – but also behind factory gates. The portrait was generated by AI. Author: Elena Blume | K-Mag Elena Blume has been writing for various industry magazines for eight years and joined the K-Mag editorial team in 2021. She is particularly interested in topics related to innovative plastics solutions that contribute to sustainability and address current challenges relevant to industry and society. At a glance Chemical companies can increasingly feed surplus process heat into district heating networks. Heat pumps make even low-temperature waste heat usable for households. Projects in Düsseldorf and Herne demonstrate the potential of industrial waste heat for the heat transition. Key Takeaway: Industrial waste heat can heat households in a climate-friendly way – but for this to work on a large scale, the right infrastructure and cooperation are needed. More around Sustainability

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• 27.05.2026

  AI-Driven In-house Recycling for Optimised Plastic Production

  Manfred Dobersberger of the EREMA Group demonstrates a Circular Economy Solution 27.05.2026 Rising raw material prices, increasing sustainability requirements and the drive toward zero waste are accelerating the adoption of in-house recycling in the plastics industry. At the same time, artificial intelligence is opening up new opportunities for process optimization. In the video, Manfred Dobersberger of the EREMA Group explains how self-optimizing recycling systems supported by AI efficiently return production scrap to the material cycle. Video by DSTNCTVE More around Sustainability

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