BASF will present high-performance solutions that target the three key stages of the mechanical recycling process for plastics at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe 2022 in Amsterdam, Netherlands from June 22 to 23. State-of-the-art technology and products to identify the grade of plastic, to improve efficiencies in the cleaning processes for recycling, and to boost the quality of recycled polymeric materials will be featured. BASF’s Plastic Additives business unit has combined its technical competence with that of BASF subsidiaries trinamiX and Chemetall to deliver highly innovative solutions for plastic recyclers.

Together, these businesses have the goal to drive innovations with leading-edge technologies and customer collaborations. BASF will also present a technical paper at the conference during the trade fair on “Advancing recycled polymers to survive multiple loops” which explains how additives solutions are contributing to the circularity of plastics.

Sorting made easy with trinamiX

With its Mobile Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy Solution, trinamiX enables swift on-the-spot plastic identification. At the push of a button, a broad range of plastic types can be rapidly identified using an easy-to-use handheld solution that combines patented NIR detectors, sophisticated data analysis and a user-friendly mobile app. In this way, trinamiX helps customers to sort plastic waste, enhancing the sorting quality and increasing the value of recyclates.

Sustainable cleaning process for recycling plastic waste

The Surface Treatment global business unit in BASF’s Coatings division, which operates under the Chemetall brand, is a leading supplier of applied surface treatment technologies for metal, plastic, and glass substrates. For the plastic recycling industry, Chemetall has developed solutions to process polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with efficient cleaners and defoamers, saving water and material. PET flakes processed with Chemetall technologies meet the strictest quality regulations and are compatible with the requirements of the food industry. The products Gardoclean®, Gardobond® additive, Gardo®Pure, and Gardofloc® offer the highest standards for exceptional results in washing and wastewater treatment – including savings in energy consumption, wastewater, and overall process costs compared to traditional processes.

Additives that improve properties of mechanically recycled plastics

The repeated use and processing of recyclates often damages the polymer chains, and the plastic becomes brittle or discolored. Impurities and polymer contaminants in recycled plastics accelerate polymer degradation, which changes the material properties. The IrgaCycle™ range of additive solutions have been designed to address specific quality issues associated with recycled resins such as limited processability, poor long-term thermal stability and insufficient protection against outdoor weathering. Recyclers and plastic converters can benefit from the IrgaCycle range to tackle quality and performance issues while processing recycled polymeric material and to increase the percentage of recycled content in end-use applications such as packaging, automotive as well as building and construction. The IrgaCycle range is offered as part of the VALERAS portfolio, the brand name under which BASF markets its range of sustainable plastic additive solutions.