Major brands seek to catch polymers and chemicals in liquid waste streams
The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) last year set up a task force to improve the recyclability of, and source sustainable feedstocks for polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs) – typically found in paint, coatings and beauty products.
Now, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Dow, Northumbrian Water and United Utilities, are the latest members to join. They’re among other major players already signed up, including Unilever, BASF, Croda, Crown Paints, Scott Bader and Afton Chemical.
The purpose of the taskforce is to research and design more sustainable PLFs for use in cosmetics, water treatment, lubricants, paints, inks and coatings, and agricultural applications.
The group was established after an RSC report showed that an estimated 36 million tonnes of PLFs are sold each year. While work is under way to improve the recycling infrastructure for plastics, the end-of-life scenario for polymers in liquid formulations (which is an umbrella term covering thousands of chemicals) is less understood, despite playing a major role in society, and being worth $125 billion every year, according to the RSC. The taskforce will identify and support initiatives which focus on collecting PLFs from waste streams, recycling them or finding non-fossil-fuel feedstocks.
Professor Tom Welton, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “Our report last year proved to be a real landmark moment. It identified common sustainability challenges facing polymer ingredients used in most households and workplaces – and said that we must address this without delay. Identifying how we can start to provide solutions and giving these chemicals a collective name, Polymers in Liquid Formulations, has allowed us to engage with some of the biggest companies in the world to spearhead action through our task force.
“The seriousness and enthusiasm with which the chemical industry has approached this from several sectors and parts of the supply chain drives home the colossal impact that can be achieved through ambition and collaboration. I welcome our new members who bring a wide range of perspectives from the whole value chain, which will be key to delivering a joined-up strategy.”