According to several expert projections, the world may produce over 400 million tons of plastic waste annually by 2030. In the face of these forecasts, many brands have committed to increasing the amount of recycled plastics in their products. Avient developed recycled-content materials to enable customers to achieve their goals and add options for the circular economy. The company has launched several new post-consumer recycled (PCR) and post-industrial recycled (PIR) portfolios under the reSound R brand name: reSound R VX TPEs, reSound R ND polyamides, and reSound R PC polycarbonates.
Available in North America, injection-moldable reSound R VX TPEs utilize 25 % PCR and up to 40 % PIR content, and both grades can be overmolded onto polypropylene. The PCR grade is formulated with recycled ocean plastics from Oceanworks, an accelerator program participant within the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, a non-profit group that includes Avient as a founding member. These TPE grades, formulated for consumer applications, can be used in personal care products, lawn and garden tools, outdoor goods, office supplies, footwear, and houseware durables.
In addition, Avient is expanding its polyamide portfolio to include reSound R ND with post-consumer content. TPEs, as well as recycled nylon 6 and 66, are commercially available in North America. Global availability is under evaluation, and will depend on regional sourcing capabilities. For the Asia market, Avient now offers reSound R PC, a range of polycarbonates with glass filler levels from 10 to 30 % and recycled content ranging from 25 to 75 %.
“Avient is committed to enabling our customer’s goals to advance a circular economy through material science,” commented Walter Ripple, vice president, Sustainability at Avient. “These new additions to our reSound portfolio are an excellent example of the way we continue to invest in and expand these sustainable solutions.”