Plastic Energy Turns Chemical Recycling Byproducts Into Circular Fillers for Rubber

The arrival of this milestone comes at a time when the rubber industry is facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions and comply with regulations such as the EU's End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, which requires a higher recovery content for motor vehicle components to minimize environmental impact.

TACFILLER provides a scalable and sustainable solution. It is the first product of its kind to achieve REACH registration (a regulation applicable to most chemicals manufactured or imported into the UK), which will help the rubber industry significantly reduce emissions and achieve recycling content targets as a direct alternative to carbon black.

Carbon black is added to rubber to increase its durability. However, its production from fossil fuels is emission-intensive, releasing 2.9 to 79 million tons of carbon dioxide annually worldwide.

In contrast, TACFILLER is made from post-consumer plastic waste, reducing the reliance on virgin fossil fuels. Plastic Energy conducted a lifecycle assessment of TACFILLER and found that its production emissions are 89% lower than traditional carbon black.

TACFILLER is derived from Plastic Energy's proprietary TAC.^™Chemical recycling process transforms hard-to-recycle post-consumer plastic waste into TACOIL.^™TACFILLER is a type of recycled material used to replace fossil fuels in the production of new plastics. Compared to incineration, this process diverts plastics from landfills and burning, reducing waste and lowering emissions by up to 78%. The addition of TACFILLER increases Plastic Energy's potential total recycling rate to nearly 90%, further enhancing the circularity of its process.

Ian Temperton, CEO of Plastic Energy, said:Carbon black is energy-intensive, and the rubber industry needs alternatives. We are proud to lead our industry by creating new circular products through the utilization of plastic waste. Globally, less than 10% of plastic is recycled, but it is a valuable resource that should be reused. Our technology enables us to reduce plastic waste sent to incineration and landfills by finding sustainable uses in the production of new plastics and now rubber. We are offering a pioneering product that is both better for the environment and commercially viable.

Plastic Energy is currently working with several leading manufacturers, including Standard Profil, to ensure that TACFILLER is fully compatible for integration into their products.

Standard Profil Group R&D Materials Senior Expert Yusuf Güner stated:We boldly explored the use of TACFILLER as a partial substitute for carbon black in our products. After a series of rigorous tests, we have verified its feasibility and are encouraged by the results. This opens up exciting possibilities for future applications, and we will continue to evaluate it with curiosity and caution.