Sabic today announced the launch of its certified circular polycarbonate (PC) resin and blends made from the upcycling of post-consumer mixed plastic, calling it a first in the industry. According to an internal LCA study, the certified circular polycarbonate offers a potential carbon footprint reduction up to 23% in comparison to its incumbent.
Part of the company’s Trucircle portfolio of circular solutions, the certified circular PC is produced through the advanced recycling of post-consumer mixed plastic that could otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill. Through pyrolysis, difficult-to-recycle used plastic is broken down into a liquid called pyrolysis oil. This is then used as a feedstock to create certified circular building blocks for high-performance plastics with the same properties as the virgin material – in this case, PC.
Polycarbonate – more specifically Lexan resin – forms part of Sabic’s ETP portfolio including PC blends such as Cycoloy and Xenoy resins. Customers may use the certified circular PC under identical process conditions to those used for its incumbent.
The PC is certified by an independent third party under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) scheme using a standardized mass balance approach, which provides a method of asserting the recycled material content along predefined and transparent rules. In addition, the widely recognized ISCC PLUS accreditation provides traceability along Sabic’s physical-linked supply chain, from the feedstock to the final product, requiring a chain of custody based on the mass balance system.
