According to the European Parliament, the total volume of plastic waste in the European Union in 2021 was 16.13 million tonnes. About 6.56 million tonnes of this plastic waste was recycled. [ 1] Large parts of the world agree: The amount of plastic waste must be reduced, and recycling rates must increase, as must the use of recycled plastics in products in all sectors. The EU has set itself clear targets with the Circular Economy Action Plan: The percentage share of secondary raw materials in the total quantity of all raw materials used is set to double by 2030. The EU wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the EU by 55% by 2030 and be climate-neutral by 2050. Germany national circular economy strategy takes up the objectives of the EU action plan.
Closing material cycles
The national circular economy strategy is clearly defined: The use of recyclates must increase. An important building block here: to close material cycles by using recyclates that are as free of harmful substances as possible. The aim is to establish and expand well-functioning markets for secondary raw materials. Germany is developing so-called recyclate utilisation quotas for various sectors together with its partners at the EU level with the involvement of industry. According to the national circular economy strategy, the quotas should be market-oriented, reliable and minimise bureaucracy. The key conditions for the concrete quantification of industry-specific recyclate utilisation rates are the sufficient availability of secondary raw materials, as well as the quality and acceptance of recyclates. Accompanying market analyses evaluate the possible effects of the recyclate utilisation quotas on the competitiveness of companies. [2].
At the EU level, recyclate utilisation quotas for the construction, automotive and packaging industries already exist or are at the draft stage. The draft of the End-of-Life Vehicles Ordinance, for example, provides for recyclate utilisation quotas for vehicles. The plastics processing supply industry can use post-consumer recyclates (PCR), post-industrial recyclates (PIR) and bioplastics to realise the required recycling rate.
Use of recyclate without loss of quality
This is where ENNEATECH comes into play. Because: all industries require high-quality
recyclates and compounds based on recycled materials that can compete with virgin materials in terms of quality. Only in this way can they fulfil the requirements of the national circular economy strategy and EU law. The mechanical characteristics of the recyclates must be just as correct as the absence of harmful substances in accordance with REACH.
ENNATECH can fulfil these requirements with its products. The ENTRON eco product line, which is manufactured from waste streams from the textile industry, consists of high-impact, filled PA6 and PA6.6 compounds that are based 100% on recycled materials. The ENTRON-eco line scores with a carbon footprint that is up to 90% lower, and the quality of the IPCF/EPD-certified PA compounds equals or even exceeds the quality of virgin material. Some examples: ENTRON eco B F NC 600710 is ideal for the electrical and electronics market. The material has passed the glow-wire test – a critical safety test for fire-resistant electrical devices at temperatures above 750 degrees Celsius. ENTRON eco A I2 BK 721000 High Impact Resistance and ENTRON eco A I3 BK 721001 Superior Impact Resistance are the compounds of choice for extreme temperature loads. They are characterised by their durability and superior high impact strength,making them ideal for use in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering and the leisure sector.
In addition to the filled compounds, ENTRON eco is also available as granules. It is produced without foreign polymers and additives and is the basis of the filled compounds. The above applies here as well: The carbon footprint is 90% lower than that of new goods. The company has confirmed the absence of harmful substances in its compounds and granulates
by external test centres; it also has REACH certification.
There are many reasons for the outstanding properties of ENNEATECH products: ENTRON
eco is made from polyamide byproducts from the high-end textile industry. Long customer-
supplier relationships and a high level of processing expertise result in a product that can
compete with new goods. Both the compounds and the granulates can be used in a variety of ways in injection moulding and extrusion. In addition to their mechanical strength, they have good sliding properties and high heat and chemical resistance. The advantages of the ENTRON-eco range are obvious: Higher mechanical strengths allow lower component wall
thicknesses,saving costs and material and further reducing the carbon footprint of the
resulting component.
In addition to post-industrial recyclates, ENNEATECH also has the PET compound
ENTRONITE eco PET based on 100% post-consumer recyclate (PCR) in its portfolio. ENTRONITE eco PET scores with material properties similar to those of PA6GF30. It is
suitable for various plastic parts in the automotive, construction and household industries, for
example.
ENTRONITE eco PET has particularly high potential for use in cars, because,in order to
make it easier to recycle plastic components in vehicles in future, the automotive industry is considering reducing the number of types of plastic. The aim is to produce as many
components as possible from the same plastic – a monomaterial. PET offers good
performance for numerous vehicle components. PET can be used in the interior, for example,
as film and foam for the dashboard, for door panelling, roof covers or parcel shelves. In some cases, components made from PA6 or PA6.6 compounds can also be replaced by PET
compounds. A broad field for ENTRONITE eco PET, which provides the automotive industry
with a plastic based on post-consumer recyclate.
