Ineos Styrolution (Frankfurt, Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) is partnering with Italian food packaging manufacturer Sirap (Verolanuova; www.sirapgroup.com) to explore packaging solutions based on chemically recycled polystyrene. The Ineos styrenics arm said the ultimate goal is to achieve circularity for PS, thus reducing post-consumer waste volumes and saving valuable resources. The technology will focus on depolymerisation, converting the post-consumer waste back to its monomers. If successful, the collaboration will position XPS specialist Sirap at the forefront of its food packaging sector competition, the companies said.

The timetable foresees producing and analysing first samples of recycled polystyrene from lab-scale facilities before the end of 2019 – the recyclate will need to have the same properties as the virgin polymer to comply with stringent food-contact regulations. To carry out the work, Sirap will act as pilot leader within a wide group of XPS packaging producers.

Ineos Styrolution recently revealed the first results of its “ResolVe” project to convert PS back to its monomer in collaboration with selected technology partners. The work is being funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, BMBF, with contributions from Ineos Manufacturing Deutschland at Cologne / Germany. The Frankfurt-based company said the project contributes to its efforts towards resource efficiency, recycling and a reduced environmental footprint. In addition, the styrenics producer is part of the joint initiative Styrenics Circular Solutions – see Plasteurope.com of 23.10.2019.