The circular economy involves switching from a linear ‘make-take-dispose’ economy to a circular model based on ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’. An economy in which waste and pollution are designed out, products and materials kept in use longer, and natural systems regenerated. Both the UN and the EU have launched circular economy initiatives. This macro level is being matched by undertakings at the micro level of companies, NGOs and citizen action groups.
Although no manufacturing company can claim to have truly closed the loop, at Armacell we are working towards a circular economy in multiple ways. Right now, we are recycling PET from bottles, finding new sources of recycled PET and maximising the collection of internal scrap, which is returned to the production process.
Waste-free operations
Armacell is committed to closing the loop in polyethylene (PE) production. As PE is fully reprocessable, it is a suitable material for reuse in the production process. Reusing internal production scrap is commonplace in our industry. Armacell has gone one step further by collaborating with two of its largest European converters for the return of graded residual material from their operations.
Recycling plastic
Armacell converts recycled PET bottles that would otherwise end up as single-use plastic waste. Recycled PET material is deployed to manufacture closed-cell, fully recyclable structural core materials for composite sandwich constructions and as eco-friendly lightweight material for thermal insulation.
Armacell’s approach towards a circular economy.