#Recycling / Circular Economy

2021-10-07

Covestro and Interseroh to jointly establish value-adding cycles

Materials manufacturer Covestro and the environmental service provider Interseroh, a company of ALBA Group, intend to cooperate in the field of innovative recycling of plastic waste. This includes resistant plastic products made from Covestro materials, such as polyurethanes and polycarbonates. Therefore, the two partners have recently signed a memorandum of understanding.

The goal is a resource-efficient circular economy

For this reason, Interseroh intends to source and prepare the relevant materials derived from the end-of-life products and distribute them to Covestro for re-integration into the raw materials cycle; Covestro intends to use these end-of-life raw materials as feedstock leveraging their reycling expertise to turn plastic waste into high quality raw materials so as to close the loop.

"Our cooperation with Interseroh is an important milestone for the convergence of the chemical and recycling industries with the aim of building new value cycles for the circular economy," says Covestro CEO Dr. Markus Steilemann. "The success of the project will largely depend on our partner's recycling know-how and innovative recycling technologies that we are currently developing, but also on suitable regulatory framework conditions, especially for chemical recycling."

"Technological development and innovation are essential pillars of our work towards a future without waste," states Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of ALBA Group. "In the light of the climate protection targets to be achieved, we must also find sustainable solutions for types of plastic that are difficult to recycle. We are pleased to be able to help shape developments here together with Covestro."

Plastic waste is a valuable resource

Plastics are indispensable and future-oriented materials. Thus, used products are also a valuable resource. That's why Covestro is working with partners to develop innovative recycling technologies and chemical processes in particular, to return plastics to the value cycle. The company is much committed to recovering used plastics and is also a member of the global company network "Alliance to End Plastic Waste."

However, much more needs to be done to achieve an effective and resource-efficient circular economy. For example, disposal and recycling systems must be improved worldwide or established in the first place. Here, Interseroh is a leading partner with many years of experience and extensive know-how. Both companies want to reduce the CO? footprint of production processes and products and thus contribute to climate and environmental protection. At the same time, they want to develop new circular business models.

Covestro and Heraeus Precious Metals collaborate to enable safer, more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings

Laboratory tests reveal that AGXX antimicrobial surface technology from Heraeus Precious Metals is fully compatible with Impranil® PU dispersions which are part of the waterborne INSQIN® textile coating technology from Covestro, paving the way for more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings. This discovery comes at a key moment for the textile coatings industry. As the sharing economy continues to grow, more people are coming into regular contact with high-use surfaces, creating ideal conditions for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms to thrive.

Covestro celebrates decade of innovation and sustainable growth

Covestro celebrates its 10-year anniversary today. Since its carve-out from Bayer in 2015, the company has developed into a global leader in high-performance polymer materials and a pioneer in circular economy solutions. With a strong focus on innovation and sustainability, Covestro’s materials are now embedded in countless applications worldwide – from mobility and construction to electronics, healthcare, and consumer goods.

Suiting up Team Sonnenwagen with more sustainable sportswear created through a three-way partnership

Team Sonnenwagen Aachen, a solar racing collective from RWTH Aachen and FH Aachen, Germany, is on a mission to advance sustainable mobility solutions and become world champions. This August, the student team will participate in the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a biannual 3,000-kilometer race across the Australian outback. During the five-day event, 50 student teams from around the world will compete with solar vehicles that they must design, assemble, and drive themselves.

How innovations drive BASF’s success

“Innovation has always been part of BASF’s DNA. Especially in these volatile times, it is crucial to leverage our innovative strength to develop competitive solutions that differentiate us as a company in our markets and give us a competitive edge,” said Dr. Stephan Kothrade, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF and Chief Technology Officer, at the company’s Research Press Briefing held today. To achieve this, BASF implemented its “Winning Ways” strategy about a year ago with the clear goal of becoming the preferred chemical company to enable its customers’ green transformation.

Happy Holidays!

Dear reader, the year 2025 is drawing to a close. We are entering what we hope will be a peaceful holiday season, spending time with our families and taking a moment to pause and reflect. We hope we have been able to support you once again this year with relevant news and articles, and we look forward to surprising you with many innovations in the coming year. Enjoy the festive season, stay healthy, and we wish you a happy and joyful holiday season.

Texpertise Focus AI: Messe Frankfurt puts Artificial Intelligence centre stage at its international textile and apparel trade fairs

Under the banner 'Texpertise Focus AI, Messe Frankfurt will place a strong emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its international textile and apparel trade fairs from 2026 onwards, setting a future-shaping signal for the industry. The initiative highlights the responsible use of AI along the entire textile value chain, from fibre production to the point of sale. The programme will launch at Heimtextil in Frankfurt in January 2026.

Autoneum and Polestar set new benchmarks for passenger experience and sustainability

As the global market leader in sustainable acoustic and thermal management, Autoneum is a key supplier of interior and exterior components for the highly anticipated Polestar 5 model. The successful collaboration between Autoneum and Polestar marks a significant milestone in sustainable automotive engineering: the electric grand tourer sports car features several innovations in lightweight, fully recyclable polyester-based components that ensure a superior driving experience. Polestar 5 was revealed at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich and is available in 24 markets.