Total Corbion launches chemically recycled PLA

CEO Thomas Philipon said Total Corbion PLA has taken a logical step towards a "more sustainable product" with the launch of the world's first commercially available chemically recycled PLA
.

"Now, this ability to efficiently receive, repurpose and resupply PLA is further evidence of the sustainability of our products and our commitment to a circular economy through value chain partnerships," he said at the product launch
.
Luminy Regeneration PLA grades offer the same properties, characteristics and regulatory approvals as virgin Luminy PLA, but are partially made from post-industrial and post-consumer PLA waste
.
Since the original food contact and other certifications are still valid, the use of rPLA can contribute to achieving a brand owner's goal of recycled content, even for food contact applications
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Total Corbion PLA is already receiving and depolymerizing reprocessed PLA waste, which is then purified and polymerized back into commercially available Luminy rPLA
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Currently, Looplife in Belgium and Sansu in South Korea are the first partners to actively support the collection, sorting and cleaning of post-industrial and consumer PLA waste
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The resulting PLA feedstock will then be used by Total Corbion PLA to create new Luminy PLA polymers through a chemical recycling process
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As an initial product, a grade containing 20% ​​recycled content will be offered using widely accepted principles of mass balance
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François de Bie, Senior Marketing Director of Total Corbion PLA, said: "As we are currently ramping up this initiative, initial sales are limited, but we believe that rPLA will be a significant part of our overall sales revenue
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" Interested parties should keep in touch
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"Total Corbion PLA is actively seeking to purchase more post-industrial and consumer PLA scrap to create value for the entire recycling industry,
" he said
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"The ability to chemically recycle post-industrial and post-consumer PLA waste allows us to not only reduce waste, but also maintain the use of a valuable resource, truly 'closing the loop'
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For our customers, this provides new, additional end-of-life pathways may be the missing piece in their own sustainability puzzle, and we look forward to addressing these challenges together
.
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