A new recycled ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) polymer, launched by plastics recycler MBA Polymers UK, has gained UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification.
Paul Mayhew
Amid a global shortage for high quality recycled ABS, MBA Polymers UK claims it offers both an important boost to supply and a revolution in the production of this vital polymer, that means it contains an impressive 95%+ recycled content.
The UL certification will now allow companies to benchmark the safety and quality of MBA Polymers UK’s new material against other available plastics. The certification process includes rigorous third-party testing and analysis, as well as an on-site audit of the company’s site in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
“UL certifies the heat stability of our product, ensuring it is just as safe as any virgin ABS. It also certifies our processes, the traceability of the materials and the performance of our new polymer,” says Paul Mayhew, General Manager at MBA Polymers UK.
“A UL listing is quite rare for a plastic with such a high level of recycled content. For our customers, this enables the use of recycled material for the first time in a range of high-performance applications.”
MBA Polymers UK’s new recycled ABS 4125 UL has also been certified by the Carbon Trust.
The company claims that the polymer has already become a sustainable competitor to the high-quality virgin plastics used in electronics, automotive manufacturing and consumer goods – supplying customers in markets including Hong Kong and the USA. It is derived from the fast-growing waste electronics sector (supplied by MBA Polymers UK’s parent company, EMR), creating a circular economy for this essential material.
The new ABS 4125 UL is set to become the first of a series of high-specification recycled polymers developed by the company’s team of experts to replace the use of virgin plastics and reduce the environmental impact that they cause.
Paul Mayhew, General Manager at MBA Polymers UK, said: “When my team began developing this new recycled ABS 4125 UL polymer, we knew it would represent a transformational moment for the industry.
“Achieving UL certification now gives our customers the confidence to take advantage of this opportunity and, from their reaction so far, I’m sure many will do just that.
“With the regulations on the use and disposal of plastics set to increase – and with customers keen to make sustainable choices wherever they can – brands in every industry understand the value of using recycled plastics in their products.
“MBA Polymers UK has over 12 years of experience in revolutionising the plastic recycling market. During that time, more than one person has told me that creating an ABS polymer containing as much recycled material as we have achieved would not be possible.
“Now that we know we have the product right – and certified by a third party such as UL – our job is to get this high-performance new recycled ABS out to our customers, helping more manufacturers to switch away from nature-depleting virgin plastics.”