Photo courtesy MBA Polymers UK/EMR
MBA Polymers UK, the plastics division of U.K.-based metal recycling company EMR, has launched a UL-certified acrylonitrile butadiene styrene product, ABS 4125 UL, that contains more than 95 percent-recycled content and can be used in manufacturing electronics, automobiles and consumer goods.
With manufacturers operating in a market where demand for recycled ABS outstrips supply, MBA Polymers UK says it is exporting its new product to businesses globally, including to those in the USA and Hong Kong.
The company says ABS 4125 UL is the first of a new range of premium-recycled polymers it is launching. By 2030, MBA Polymers UK wants to deliver 100,000 metric tons of recycled-content plastics to manufacturers in a range of markets and industries.
MBA Polymers UK’s feedstock includes end-of-life vehicles and household appliances and construction industry scrap. The new ABS product is derived from the fast-growing electronics recycling sector, according to the company.
Paul Mayhew, general manager at MBA Polymers UK says people have told him that creating a high-recycled-content ABS product was not possible. “Our team of dedicated engineers and scientists have not only proven them wrong; they have delivered a product which can turn the growing supply of waste electronics into the next generation of sustainable consumer products.”
The company says the breakthrough was achieved by leveraging technical developments in MBA Polymers UK’s plastic recycling operations at its Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
As well as benchmarking against the performance and specifications of other leading ABS polymers, MBA Polymers UK has achieved UL accreditation for its new product, giving further confidence to manufacturers about its traceability and quality, according to the company. UL accreditation verifies the quality, safety and sustainability of recycled plastics so manufacturers, brand owners and end users feel confident in the performance and credibility of the materials.
Mayhew says, “The arrival of this new UL-listed ABS 4125 to the market is a transformational moment and I’ve been excited by the interest it has already created among our customers, new and existing.
“Manufacturers know all too well that changes in regulation, consumer behavior and the impact on the environment means that increasing recycled content of products and creating circular products is now essential. MBA Polymers UK’s innovative new ABS product helps them to do just that,” he adds.
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