SCS Participates in Phase One of the Circular Plastics Alliance

Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), the joint industry initiative to increase the circularity of styrenic polymers, has participated in the first round of working meetings of the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA), upon invitation by the European Commission.

The European Commission launched the CPA to promote value chain cooperation with the aim to ensure that 10 million tons of recycled plastics are used in new products by 2025. Alongside other key stakeholders from the plastics value chains, SCS participated in the first CPA meeting at the European Industry Days in February and contributed to all five of the CPA Working Groups.

At the first CPA meeting, Kevin McQuade, CEO of SCS member INEOS Styrolution, explained SCS' ambitions to achieve circularity by referring to its voluntary pledge and roadmap.

"From yogurt pot to yogurt pot again, SCS is working to make styrenics truly circular for use in food contact applications,” said McQuade in a statement. “We are pioneering recycling technologies, including chemical recycling back to the monomer, to make this a reality."

During a working group meeting, “Collection and Sorting of Plastic Waste,” Herman Van Roost, SCS chair for waste collection and sorting and business development manager – polymers at SCS member TOTAL Refining and Petrochemicals, noted 800 kilotons of polystyrene is placed into the European Union (EU) packaging market every year.

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“SCS engages with the value chain, in particular waste sector partners, to pull polystyrene waste for large scale recycling from incineration and landfilling," said Van Roost in a statement.

During the meeting, “R&D and Investments Including Chemical Recycling,” Rob Slangen, SCS Technologies and Plastics and Feedstock Technology leader at SCS member Trinseo, said: "SCS reconfirmed its commitment to have a chemical recycling demo plant in place by 2020 to meet the EU recycling targets."

Meetings also tackled the goal of increasing the use of recycled plastics by developing solutions, including depolymerisation, to bring high-quality, recycled polystyrene on the market to meet already existing demand. Additionally, SCS said it supports the ambition of the European Commission to make products more sustainable in the circular economy, including by designing plastic products for recycling.

The first phase of CPA's work group meetings concluded on April 10 with the session “Monitoring of Recycled Plastics Sold in the EU.” During the session, SCS noted it looks forward to making progress toward true circularity transparent, as well as the second phase of CPA working meetings and to contributing to its outcome.

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