Technological watch

INEOS Styrolution has announced the availability of mechanically recycled polystyrene in EMEA. Production of the new “Styrolution® PS ECO 440” is based on TOMRA’s high-quality NIR sorting process delivering a polystyrene purity of more than 99.9%. The new material is available in white and light grey.
New Polystyrene for Food Contact
This new solution is suitable across a wide range of applications including food contact. It will enable customers to address their respective sustainability goals and contribute to the development of a circular economy. Styrolution® PS ECO is not only made from recycled material, but also fully recyclable. This means the material offers true circularity with no need to downcycle.
The first available grade is Styrolution® PS ECO 440 MR100 WHITE. The suffix “MR100” indicates that the material contains 100% post-consumer recycled content.
INEOS Styrolution follows the concept of using Styrolution® PS ECO material behind a functional barrier making the material suitable for food contact applications such as XPS foam food packaging trays. The concept, which conforms with requirements under FC Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, is based on a layer of virgin polystyrene enclosing the recycled polystyrene.
PS Based on Advanced Recycling Tech.
The new mechanically recycled polystyrene confirms once again that polystyrene is indeed made for recycling. The new solution complements INEOS Styrolution’s ambitious efforts to commercialize recycled polystyrene based on advanced recycling technologies.
Dr. Frank Eisenträger, product director PS EMEA, INEOS Styrolution says, “We will start production in EMEA with up to 1,000 tons in 2021, working very hard to grow volumes in line with our pledge to use on average 30% recycled content in products destined for polystyrene packaging in Europe by 2025.”
Jürgen Priesters, SVP, Circular Economy at TOMRA adds, “As the strategic partner in driving transformation, we are excited to contribute to a unique solution offering true circularity of polystyrene.”