BASF and partners unite to revolutionize mechanical recycling of plastics

GERMANY – BASF has joined forces with Endress+Hauser, TechnoCompound, and the Universities of Bayreuth and Jena to enhance the efficiency and quality of mechanical recycling for plastics.

Supported by funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the SpecReK project seeks to accurately identify the composition of plastic waste in real time, improving the quality of recycled plastics by integrating advanced measurement techniques with artificial intelligence (AI).

The research employs spectroscopic methods to analyze how materials interact with light, providing detailed insights into the chemical structure of recycled plastics.

By processing this data, AI algorithms can identify plastic grades, additives, and contaminants during recycling.

These insights will allow real-time adjustments to the recycling process, recommending necessary components or adaptations to enhance the quality of the final product.

Driving innovation in plastic recycling

Dr. Bernhard von Vacano, head of the Plastics Circularity research program at BASF, highlighted the current challenges: “We lack the analytical tools to determine the components in mechanically recycled plastics during processing precisely. This information is crucial for improving the quality of waste plastics.”

By addressing this gap, the SpecReK project aims to enable the use of more mechanically recycled plastics in high-value applications, making recycling more efficient and sustainable.

The mechanical recycling process—comprising collection, sorting, crushing, cleaning, and melting—often yields output with inconsistent quality due to varying input materials, additives, and contaminants.

Improved real-time analysis and AI-driven process optimization will help standardize quality, meeting the growing demand for high-grade recycled materials.

Strengthening the circular economy

The €2.2 million (US$2.29m) SpecReK initiative, with two-thirds funded by BMBF’s quantum systems research program and the remainder by project partners, represents a significant step toward advancing the circular economy.

“Understanding the properties and composition of recycled plastic waste is critical to optimizing the process and addressing increasing demand for sustainable materials,” von Vacano added.

While mechanical recycling remains the primary method for processing plastic waste, it is not always feasible for certain materials.

In such cases, chemical recycling offers an alternative to reintegrate plastics into the material loop.

BASF emphasizes the complementary nature of these processes, aiming to improve both methods to bolster the circular economy and meet sustainability goals.

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