#Recycling / Circular Economy

2022-06-02

BASF highlights progress in enabling plastics circularity at Plastics Recycling Show Europe 2022

Identify plastic types at the push of a button – with trinamiX’s Mobile NIR Spectroscopy Solution © 2022 BASF

BASF will present high-performance solutions that target the three key stages of the mechanical recycling process for plastics at the Plastics Recycling Show Europe 2022 in Amsterdam, Netherlands (booth D21) from June 22 to 23. State-of-the-art technology and products to identify the grade of plastic, to improve efficiencies in the cleaning processes for recycling, and to boost the quality of recycled polymeric materials will be featured. BASF’s Plastic Additives business unit has combined its technical competence with that of BASF subsidiaries trinamiX and Chemetall to deliver highly innovative solutions for plastic recyclers.

High-performance solutions target three key stages of the mechanical recycling process: sorting, washing and reprocessing

BASF at Plastics Recycling Show Europe 2022: D21, Hall 12, RAI Amsterdam, Netherlands

Together, these businesses have the goal to drive innovations with leading-edge technologies and customer collaborations. BASF will also present a technical paper at the conference during the trade fair on “Advancing recycled polymers to survive multiple loops” which explains how additives solutions are contributing to the circularity of plastics.

Sorting made easy with trinamiX

With its Mobile Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy Solution, trinamiX enables swift on-the-spot plastic identification. At the push of a button, a broad range of plastic types can be rapidly identified using an easy-to-use handheld solution that combines patented NIR detectors, sophisticated data analysis and a user-friendly mobile app. In this way, trinamiX helps customers to sort plastic waste, enhancing the sorting quality and increasing the value of recyclates.

For the plastic recycling industry, Chemetall develops reliable solutions that process the PET material with efficient cleaners and defoamers in a water and material saving manner. © 2022 BASF

While trinamiX helps collectors and recyclers, its solution also enables brand owners to design their products and packaging to be more easily sortable from the start. Since the technology built into trinamiX’s handheld device is also used in-line to sort plastic waste at large recycling facilities, designers can quickly simulate their product’s journey through such facilities to ensure recyclability. In doing so, trinamiX is contributing to a new generation of plastic products that are designed for circularity.

Sustainable cleaning process for recycling plastic waste

The Surface Treatment global business unit in BASF’s Coatings division, which operates under the Chemetall brand, is a leading supplier of applied surface treatment technologies for metal, plastic, and glass substrates. For the plastic recycling industry, Chemetall has developed solutions to process polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with efficient cleaners and defoamers, saving water and material. PET flakes processed with Chemetall technologies meet the strictest quality regulations and are compatible with the requirements of the food industry. The products Gardoclean®, Gardobond® additive, Gardo®Pure, and Gardofloc® offer the highest standards for exceptional results in washing and wastewater treatment – including savings in energy consumption, wastewater, and overall process costs compared to traditional processes.

Additives that improve properties of mechanically recycled plastics

The repeated use and processing of recyclates often damages the polymer chains, and the plastic becomes brittle or discolored. Impurities and polymer contaminants in recycled plastics accelerate polymer degradation, which changes the material properties. The IrgaCycle™ range of additive solutions have been designed to address specific quality issues associated with recycled resins such as limited processability, poor long-term thermal stability and insufficient protection against outdoor weathering. Recyclers and plastic converters can benefit from the IrgaCycle range to tackle quality and performance issues while processing recycled polymeric material and to increase the percentage of recycled content in end-use applications such as packaging, automotive as well as building and construction. The IrgaCycle range is offered as part of the VALERAS™ portfolio, the brand name under which BASF markets its range of sustainable plastic additive solutions.

Burak Karadeniz, Lab technician at the Application Centre for BASF Plastic Additives in Kaisten, is comparing the optical properties of recycled film with and without a stabilizer package. © 2022 BASF

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.