TAGS: Sustainability and Bioplastics Medical
SABIC has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of recycling used medical plastic back into the medical material stream. The project was initiated together with the dialysis department at Jessa Hospital. It is one of the largest non-university medical clusters in the Limburg region of Flanders, Belgium.
Same Performance, Purity and Safety as Virgin Polymers
As a pilot proof-of-concept, used medical plastic generated at Jessa’s hospitals was converted to pyrolysis oil in an
advanced recycling process. This process delivered circular feedstock for SABIC's production of
TRUCIRCLE™ polymers in medical grade quality. The polymers produced have the same performance, purity and physiological safety as virgin-based medical grade polymers. This is indispensable for medical approvals by regulators.
Lada Kurelec, general manager, Polymers Technology & Innovation at SABIC, states, “
Working with Jessa Hospital has been an immensely rewarding experience, where we learned how individual belief in circularity can mobilize industry to work together. I value how this collaboration enabled creation of an ecosystem to collect and recycle non-contaminated medical waste in a very short time. Thanks to this collaboration, we are creating a certified circular TRUCIRCLE™ polymer portfolio able to serve the healthcare market. We are inviting other players in the value chain to join us and Jessa in this ground-breaking initiative to accelerate the circularity of plastics in the medical industry.”
SABIC is in a strong position to provide a circular solution, thanks to its advanced recycling technology and extensive experience with TRUCIRCLE
™ solutions. This solution is designed to help Jessa Hospital reduce the environmental footprint of its medical products by avoiding their incineration after use. Approximately 85% of the used medical plastic generated at the hospital is uncontaminated and therefore does not require specialized treatment. This allows it to be repurposed as feedstock for advanced recycling and subsequent production of high-quality medical grade polymers. It saves virgin raw material and contributes to a more circular medical economy.
Karl Zwinnen, project engineer at Jessa adds, “
We are very pleased with the advanced and circular recycling approach enabled by SABIC to improve our medical waste management. The setup of an efficient collection system for used medical plastic has met with strong support among our medical and healthcare staff. Besides contributing to enhanced sustainability and circularity, the solution also has an enormous potential for reducing our disposal costs. We look forward to implementing it across all Jessa locations.”
Produced Using Mass Balance Accounting
As a result of this successful pilot, SABIC is actively engaging partners to scale up operations and create a fully closed-loop recycling model for used
medical plastics in larger volumes.
SABIC’s certified circular materials are produced using mass balance accounting according to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program, which defines a set of transparent rules for tracking the material flow across complex supply chains from the feedstock to final applications. The resulting certified circular polymers form part of the company’s TRUCIRCLE
™ portfolio and services.
SABIC's TRUCIRCLE
™ portfolio and services include certified circular polymers as well as design for recyclability, mechanically recycled products, certified renewable polymers from bio-based feedstock, and closed-loop initiatives. These initiatives recycle plastics back into high-quality applications and help prevent valuable used plastics from becoming waste.
Select from SABIC's 400+ Medical-grade Polymers
Source: SABIC
