Chemical Recycling in the Circular Economy

Chemical recycling was born as an innovative solution to the shortcomings of mechanical recycling, as it allows for the recycling of a wider variety of plastics that were previously discarded or little used, using new techniques and products.

This new process allows plastics to be broken down into elements or raw materials that can be used in the production of products with a quality similar to the broken down product, thus providing a wide variety of applications where this recycled material can be used.

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Chemical Recycling and its Application

This innovative recycling method would complement a process that mechanical recycling did not address, thus having a wider scope and greater reuse of recycled plastic products, as the technique consists of a depolymerisation process of plastics obtaining a virgin raw material, which can be used in new elements.

The recycling of chemicals is thus a more viable proposition for the industry, as each of the elements obtained from the decomposition of the polymers would be used in their entirety, thus being used for the transformation into new products, which helps to reduce the manufacturing costs of new elements and raw materials.

This is how chemical recycling meets the circular economy, which promotes the creation of material reuse cycles as a method of eliminating waste and reducing production costs, thus leading the industry to a more favourable path, making the most of the raw material obtained as well as the cost of production.

What is the circular economy?

This is an economic model or strategy aimed at seeking a solution to two global problems: environmental pollution from waste generated worldwide and the looming economic crisis.

This promotes a better use of finite resources and raw materials, which in turn contributes to the elimination of the resulting waste in the production of any product or element.

Waste reduction is one of its main objectives, this would be achieved by creating production cycles in which the raw material, once it has fulfilled its function of use, can be broken down and reused in the creation of new products, thus generating a large reduction in waste as it returns to the production line.

Circular economy hand in hand with chemical recycling

These two movements serve the same purpose, and that is to care for the environment as this is a growing problem, due to the large generation of waste and the constant consumption of non-renewable raw materials that contributes to further damage to the system as a whole.

The circular economy seeks to reduce the generation of waste on the planet, thus taking advantage of its characteristics as an element for the formation of new products, where the recycling of chemicals fulfils its function of decomposing products into usable raw material for the creation of new products of similar quality to the original.

These movements are not only aimed at favouring waste disposal, but also at reducing the costs generated by waste disposal treatment, as well as the high cost of renewing raw materials for the production of new products. This issue is no longer just an idea, but a necessity. According to experts from the United Nations and environmental experts around the world, this model of industry should be used worldwide as a response to the major environmental and economic problems that will arise in the not too distant future.