New study finds that recycled plastic can have a significantly lower carbon footprint than virgin plastics.
A new carbon footprint study by Fortum Recycling & Waste has found that the carbon footprint of Fortum Circo recycled plastic is now up to 70% smaller compared to virgin plastics. When the biogenic net carbon that is bound into the material is taken into account, the carbon footprint of plastic compounds with cellulose fibre goes down to zero or even below that.
Fortum Circo is a series of plastic recyclates made from post-consumer plastic waste collected from Finnish consumers. The series comprises Fortum Circo LDPE, HDPE, and PP plastics. Different plastic grades have different uses – by adding for example cellulose fibre, the material becomes stiffer and tougher, which means it can be used in more technically demanding applications.
The carbon footprint study was executed by Finnish service company Etteplan and the results are verified by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. The study calculated all carbon dioxide emissions from recycling all the way from the plastic packaging recycled by a consumer to its final stage as a finished plastic recyclate.
“One of our main goals is to keep raw materials in circulation,” said Mikko Koivuniemi, Business & Technology Development Manager, Fortum Recycling & Waste. “We want to develop materials with the technical properties to meet the most demanding applications. The Fortum Circo we have developed is our answer to that challenge. Finding new solutions and improving them is a constant process. Lifecycle assessments are an important part of our development work, and it was great to have a confirmation that our continuous product development is yielding the results we want.”
The study found that the carbon footprint of Fortum Circo plastic recyclates has decreased significantly since the previous study in 2019. This is due to a number of factors, including the enhanced production of the plastic refinery and the addition of new plastic materials to the product portfolio.
The results of the study are a significant step forward in the development of sustainable plastics. They show that it is possible to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of plastic by using recycled materials. This is good news for the environment and for the future of the plastics industry.