STYROPOR® CCYCLED®

Recycling Perfected

Schlaadt GmbH, together with other industry leaders, is involved in one of the most innovative recycling projects in the plastics industry.

Styropor^® has long been the focus of innovative industrial research projects due to its versatile applications and the development of modern recycling processes. Thanks to this commitment, there are already many ways to recycle EPS. However, the goals have been set higher, and leading companies in the field of plastics manufacturing have been working on a completely new process for recycling plastics for some time. The basic idea is to convert the polymer chains of mixed plastic waste back into pyrolysis oil through a pyrolysis process – in simplified terms: to transform it back into a raw material that can be used to produce new Styropor^® granulate with identical properties.

A groundbreaking technology for the entire industry that has now actually reached market maturity – and at the highest level.

What BASF has been advancing since 2019 with the household appliance manufacturer BSH (Bosch Hausgeräte GmbH) and with the competent support of the Schlaadt group of companies for the Styropor^® product, is now being used internationally by the premium brand Gaggenau. In the production of Styropor® Ccycled®, fossil raw materials are replaced at the beginning of the value chain by so-called pyrolysis oil, which is obtained 100% from mixed plastic waste through the innovative recycling process. The pyrolysis oil used is allocated to the product – Styropor® Ccycled® – using a mass balance approach. Both the mass balance approach and the product itself are independently certified by REDcert2. As a result, Styropor^® Ccycled^® has identical mechanical properties to conventional Styropor^®, as well as freely selectable densities, and can be used in the food sector.

In short, a milestone on the path to ecological sustainability, as fossil resources are conserved.

Styropor^® – the all-rounder. And role model.

Styropor^® is not only light and durable, it also reliably protects packaged products from impacts, scratches, and more. For this reason, the BSH Group has long relied on the expertise and products from Schlaadt for the transport packaging of its household appliances. The group’s premium brand – Gaggenau – is now taking the innovative step towards Styropor® Ccycled®. Silke Maurer, Chief Operating Officer of BSH Hausgeräte GmbH, explains why: “By using Styropor^® packaging made from raw materials from chemical recycling, we are actively contributing to our sustainability goals and to cross-industry circular economy.”

Sustainability is also one of the core competencies at Schlaadt.

Styropor^® molded parts are extremely versatile products. As packaging, they effectively protect the products entrusted to them against transport damage or temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, they are found in building insulation, as well as protective elements in vehicles or helmets. And one thing is clear upon closer inspection: Styropor^® molded parts, consisting of 98% air, are sustainable in many respects, especially with Styropor^® Ccycled^®. The reduction of CO2 emissions, the careful use of natural resources, combined with optimal product protection, are simply unrivaled. Stefan Schlaadt, Managing Director of Schlaadt GmbH, adds: “In addition to the goal of completely climate-neutral production and the mechanical recycling of Styropor^® molded parts, ChemCycling is a crucial component of our sustainability strategy. We are proud to have co-developed such an innovative process with BASF and BSH. Because we see this as a very significant milestone on the path to an even more sustainable future. We are convinced that Styropor^® Ccycled^® will also prevail in many other areas.”