Trinseo Offers Recycled Polystyrene for Food Contact Applications

May 17, 2021

Material Demonstrates Circular Economy in Action

BERWYN, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$TSE #circularity—Trinseo (NYSE: TSE), a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber announced that it can now supply recycled polystyrene (rPS) for food contact applications with the launch of the first yogurt pot integrating rPS, now on shelves in France.

The material –Trinseo’s STYRON™ CO₂RE™ CR55 Polystyrene Resin — contains 55 percent recycled content resulting from depolymerization, and is part of the company’s STYRON™ CO₂RE™ portfolio of recycled polystyrene (PS) grades. PS is a unique plastic in that it can be depolymerized to its monomer level and can be reused along with virgin content with no distinction between the two. Consequently, polystyrene recycled via this method can be used widely in high quality, demanding applications including consumer electronics, packaging, household durables … and even food contact applications.

According to Trinseo’s Plastics Circularity Manager, Julien Renvoise, STYRON™ CO₂RE™ CR55 Polystyrene supports a circular economy. “This is a real-world example of how polystyrene can be reclaimed and reused. Because of the simplicity of the chemistry, polystyrene is actually infinitely recyclable meaning that it never has to end up as consumer waste in a landfill again, but will preserve its value as a material that can be constantly recycled for new applications.”

This innovation is the result of a collaboration between Trinseo and Intraplàs, an expert in extrusion of plastic sheets for the food industry. Together the companies supply and transform the certified recycled polystyrene raw material used by Yoplait in France to launch the first pot made with 50 percent of rPS in the French market.

To measure the impact of rPS, Trinseo has partnered with Styrenics Circular Solutions on a lifecycle assessment comparing PS produced with 100 percent fossil-based material with material containing depolymerized content. Initial results of this assessment, considering potential end-of-life incineration, have shown a favorable environmental footprint; final results are expected in June.

STYRON™ CO₂RE™ CR55 Polystyrene, produced from depolymerization, is part of Trinseo’s portfolio of sustainable polystyrene and is ISCC+ certified according to mass balance processes. The company also recycles polystyrene via a dissolution method, a physical recycling process that doesn’t change the chemistry of the recyclate and can be used for food contact applications using a mono-material multi-layer structure. The company currently is supported with sourcing from U.S. and from Europe and recently announced plans to build a dedicated plant at its Tessenderlo, Belgium location with technology provided by Recycling Technologies (RT), adding 15,000 tons of polystyrene feedstock into the European marketplace by 2023. An intermediate small-scale pilot plant is scheduled to be operational in the UK in 2022 to further optimize the RT technology.

About Trinseo

Trinseo (NYSE:TSE) is a global materials solutions provider and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber with a focus on delivering innovative, sustainable, and value-creating products that are intrinsic to our daily lives. Trinseo is dedicated to making a positive impact on society by partnering with like-minded stakeholders, and supporting the sustainability goals of our customers in a wide range of end-markets including automotive, consumer electronics, appliances, medical devices, packaging, footwear, carpet, paper and board, building and construction, and tires. Trinseo had approximately $3.0 billion in net sales in 2020. With the May 2021 acquisition of the PMMA business, the Company has 24 manufacturing sites around the world, and approximately 3,500 employees. For more information, please visit: www.trinseo.com.

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