BOREALIS AND GRABHER PARTNERSHIP GIVES USED FFP2 FACE MASKS ANOTHER LIFE

• High-quality face masks made in Austria by Grabher contain fully recyclable meltblown polypropylene supplied by Borealis
• New collect-and-recycle scheme established by Grabher turns used face masks into value-added products
• Partnership is embodiment of the Borealis EverMinds™ spirit of taking action to accelerate the move towards plastics circularity

Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions and a European market leader in base chemicals and fertilizers; and the Grabher Group, a leading manufacturer of high-tech textiles, are accelerating plastics circularity in a partnership that safeguards human health while helping minimise waste. The key component of the high-quality, filtrating face masks produced by Grabher in Austria is made of fully recyclable meltblown polypropylene (PP) supplied by Borealis. To further drive circularity, Grabher has initiated a novel collect-and-recycle scheme for used face masks which turns them into new value-added products such as oil absorption fabrics.

Plastics circularity “made in Austria” through collaboration and innovation
The Vorarlberg, Austria-based Grabher Group is a leading expert in nano-air and micro-liquid filtration and designs smart-textile systems for the manufacture of medical and healthcare products, among others. As the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) in Austria were imminent. Grabher acted by becoming the first Austrian company to establish a dedicated face mask assembly facility which included a state-of-the-art meltblown production system for the manufacture of high-quality face masks. These certified masks, including FFP2 filtration respirators, medical masks, and washable community masks, are marketed by Vprotect, a 100%-owned member of the Grabher Group. One essential component of the Vprotect masks – the filter made of densely spaced micron-sized fibres – is made of meltblown PP supplied by Borealis, a material which itself is fully recyclable.

Yet for obvious health reasons, even high-quality and more sustainable face masks are quickly disposed of. Far too many find their way into landfills or even natural environments. To combat the problem of growing volumes of mask waste, Grabher again took action by creating a new return and collection system for used masks in order to recycle them into new, value-added products. The scheme, which is to be rolled out across Austria in the near future, features clearly marked collection boxes into which all types of face masks may be deposited. After sorting, washing, sterilising and drying, the material is used as filler material for cushion and oil absorption applications. Development is currently ongoing to process the masks into granulate which may be turned into absorption fabrics using the meltblown process. These recycled fabrics may be used to absorb oil – for example due to a spill – or other liquids.

“Our partnership with Grabher is the embodiment of EverMinds circular thinking,” claims Vedran Kujundzic, Borealis Vice President Commercial Performance Materials. “Using our fully recyclable meltblown PP to manufacture high-quality masks helps protect human health, and finding a way to use them again protects our planet. Together, Borealis and Grabher have taken yet another step to closing the loop on plastics circularity by maintaining our focus on sustainable solutions which benefit society.”
“We are proud to have responded so quickly to the urgent need for PPE and FFP2 masks, in particular, at the start of the pandemic in Austria,” says Günter Grabher, Managing Director of the Grabher Group. “In the meantime, we are gratified that our collect-and-recycle initiative continues to attract numerous other participants, including OMV, a major food retail group, and several large hospitals. In Borealis, we have found a reliable partner who shares our commitment to both innovation and sustainability, and we look forward to continued collaboration.”

Covestro builds a bridge to the circular economy at ACS 2022

Plant-based resins offer sustainable solutions

Covestro, a leading materials company, will exhibit its portfolio of sustainable coating solutions at the American Coatings Show 2022 in Indianapolis, helping pave the way for a shift to the circular economy. The company’s 2021 acquisition of the Resins & Functional Materials (RFM) business of Dutch company Royal DSM was a major driver of this year’s offerings, significantly strengthening the efforts of Covestro in sustainable solutions and cementing its position as a leading supplier of sustainable coatings and adhesives.

More than 50 years of manufacturing experience of Covestro have also played a key role for this development. Going forward, solutions sourced from sustainable materials will be a key component of their overall portfolio. Sustainable coating resins represent an attractive growth market that aligns with the ultimate goal of the company to move to a fully circular economy, meeting the world’s materials and coatings needs while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Covestro is excited to collaborate with its customers on the journey to the circular economy as new material solutions transform urbanization, mobility, and their impact on climate change.

Alternative raw materials made using biotechnology

One of the most exciting results is the fruit of work of the company with pioneering biotech company Genomatica to successfully produce the first significant volumes of a plant based version of HMDA (hexamethylene diamine). HMDA is a key precursor for several coatings, adhesives, and a widely used type of nylon (nylon-6,6). 2 million tons of HMDA are used each year, but until now it has been manufactured exclusively from fossil feedstocks. This new process is expected to be able to produce ton-quantities of high-quality material in the near future, helping the automotive, construction, furniture, and textile industries become that much more sustainable going forward.

“Our partnership on this innovative technology allows us to significantly reduce our dependence on fossil feedstocks,” said Martin Vlak, Head of Sales & Market Development – North America Coatings & Adhesives at Covestro. “With a purely plant-based HMDA, we can significantly advance our corporate objective of CO2-neutral production.”

Several examples of Covestro’s sustainable products are on display in their booth (#2529). Covestro will be showing off Desmodur® eco N 7300, an isocyanate clearcoat hardener whose carbon content is 70 percent sourced from biomass instead of fossil fuels. This sourcing reduces the carbon footprint of the hardener by around 30 percent, compared to conventional solutions using the same application process, with no compromise in performance or quality.

Partially bio-based resin for high-traffic flooring

A third product, Decovery®, is an up to 52 percent partially plant-based flooring resin. Covestro has long experience in resin technology for flooring. Their engineers know better than anyone how traditional bio-based paints have struggled to meet the tough criteria required for high-traffic flooring. Extensive testing has shown that Decovery® has equal performance in durability, chemical resistance and wear resistance when compared with current fossil-based products in the market.

“The emerging line of sustainable and plant-based products of Covestro is the result of our long-term goal of becoming the leading provider of sustainable coating solutions,” says Vlak. “Markets are increasingly asking for more environmentally compliant products based on renewable raw materials without compromising functionality. But it’s about more than growth from a margin perspective. It’s about growing sustainably with the right kind of product innovation that brings us to carbon-neutral production. A truly circular economy is within our reach if we remain committed to this level of focus and innovation.”

About Covestro:

Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.

The company is committed to becoming fully circular and aims to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). Covestro generated sales of around EUR 15.9 billion in fiscal 2021. At the end of 2021, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 17,900 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).

Constantia Flexibles India wins Packaging Innovation Awards for “Recyclable PE Pouches”

Constantia Flexibles, a global packaging manufacturer, was conferred the coveted Packaging Innovation Awards 2021 organized by Dow for EcoLamHighPlus, an indigenously developed more sustainable packaging solution committed to a circular economy.
Modern consumers are conscious about what they eat and how they access those food items. In this regard, Constantia Flexibles & Hershey India joined hands to create an offering for ‘Conscious Indulgers’ who want to relish great-tasting chocolate that is ‘good to them and better for the planet too.’ Hershey’s India decided to launch its latest

offering, ‘Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate 30% Less Sugar’ with recyclable mono- material packaging. Now Constantia Flexibles was awarded with the silver medal for the laminate’s sustainability aspects at the Packaging Innovation Awards sponsored by Dow.

Constantia Flexibles’ EcoLamHighPlus is a more sustainable barrier packaging solution designed for the circular economy. It is a mono-material-polyethylene (PE) laminate solution designed to be fully recyclable in the PE stream while satisfying all functional and aesthetic requirements of the product.

The developed EcoLamHighPlus packaging solution delivers three key aspects:

• Deliver key brand aesthetics even with a recyclable laminate. No compromise on the color, finish, or perceived quality of the material.

• Ensure no change in the current manufacturing process or any adverse impact on product integrity/shelf-life.

• Ensure ease of use with similar or enhanced tearing and maintain pack structure/shape across the supply chain.

Constantia Flexibles is the world’s third largest producer of flexible packaging. Based on the guiding principle of ‘People, Passion, Packaging’, some 8,530 employees manufacture tailor-made packaging solutions at 37 sites in 16 countries. Many international companies and local market leaders from the consumer and pharma industries choose the sustainable and innovative products of Constantia Flexibles. www.cflex.com