Belgian chemicals group Solvay (Brussels; www.solvay.com) says it has joined a recycling initiative with Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials (MCAM, Tielt, Belgium; www.mcam.com).

The companies are investigating setting up the necessary infrastructure for recovering, recycling, and reprocessing medical equipment made using Solvay’s Udel high-performance polysulphone (PSU) thermoplastic, which would enable reclaimed material to be reused in its original application.

Under the collaboration, MCAM will provide its expertise to wash and mechanically purify the recovered material, while Solvay will contribute its ability to evaluate the chemistry of the end-of-life polymer. The aim, they said, is to develop a recycling strategy that will provide customers with materials that fully meet all specifications.

“The agreement with Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials is the latest demonstration of Solvay’s commitment to help customers achieve ambitious sustainability targets,” said Solvay’s product sustainability manager Antonella Di Meo. “With this project, we want to show, in a practical way, that it is possible to recycle high-value Udel PSU parts used in the medical field, yielding important savings in CO₂ emissions along the production and supply chain.”

Solvay has already partnered with MCAM on reclaiming and recycling other high-performance polymers, including KetaSpire polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

The Brussels-based group is currently preparing to split into two separate units, a move which could lead to the sale of the standard chemicals division (see Plasteurope.com of 16.03.2022).