Spanish petrochemical giant Repsol (Madrid; www.repsol.com) said it and compatriot materials distributor Quimidroga (Barcelona; www.quimidroga.com) have developed a mineral-reinforced polypropylene compound that can be used instead of metals or heavier polymers in high-added-value applications.

The materials are said to suit parts with high technical and functional requirements for mining and water treatment applications, including industrial and drinking water, urban wastewater, and desalination flotation systems. 

Repsol noted that Spanish company Ecotec (Barcelona; www.ecotec.es/en), a global provider of filtration solutions, offers lamella modules made with the compound. Its use is said to provides advantages such as lightweighting, elimination of on-site welding, and safety in drinking water treatment facilities that require contact with food. 

The compound lamellas offer high mechanical resistance, Repsol explained, allowing for reuse and recyclability in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12, which aims to significantly reduce waste generation by 2030 through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.