Press release
Interface & Performance
May 18, 2023

Evonik launches TEGO® Cycle additives portfolio to transform plastic waste into valuable plastics  

  • New brand family clusters products that improve efficiency and increase quality of recycled polymers and final plastics
  • Wet and dry mechanical recycling solutions support plastic industry’s transformation into a fully circular economy
  • TEGO® Cycle and new environmentally friendly Polymer Processing Aids to debut at Plastics Recycling Show Europe, 10-11 May

Essen, Germany. Evonik has introduced a diverse range of additives under the brand name TEGO® Cycle to help its customers improve process and increase the final quality of recycled plastics. Designed to save energy during the mechanical recycling process, the TEGO® Cycle portfolio of additives also enhances the quality of polymers, enabling the transition of the plastics value chain into a ‘value cycle.’

Combating plastic waste has become one of the key factors for securing the planet’s future. Since 1950, around ten billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide, more than half of it since 2000 alone. Every year, around 400 million tons are added - about 40 percent of which is packaging material. Only a fraction of this is recycled, with the majority ending in landfills and incinerators after only one use - or the waste is discarded into the environment.  

“Despite recent improvements in plastic waste streams and better recycling infrastructure across the globe, the high costs and technical challenge of yielding polymers of high enough quality, have meant only around 100 million tons of plastic has been recycled so far,” said Alper Aksit, Marketing Manager Compounds & Circular Plastics Region EMEA. “Transforming plastic waste into valuable reusable plastic requires collaboration across the entire plastics value chain. Working closely with our partners and listening to our customers’ needs we have created initiatives like Evonik’s Circular Plastics Program, which combined with our TEGO® Cycle additives help speed up the plastic industry's transformation into a fully circular economy.”

Evonik’s diverse additives portfolio helps at each stage along the entire mechanical recycling value chain to convert plastic waste into reusable plastic goods. During the wet stage, Evonik’s antifoams & wetting agents can be used to make washing, separation, deinking & drying processes more efficient and help to significantly reduce energy. Additionally, during compounding (dry stage) Evonik’s odor absorbers, compatibilizers, dispersants & processing aids help to improve processing and enhance polymer properties, leading to more competitive costs and a much higher quality of recycled plastic content.

Evonik will showcase its entire additives portfolio for improving the mechanical recycling process and final quality of plastics at its booth #A12 in Amsterdam during the Plastics Recycling Show Europe, from10-11 May. In addition to the latest TEGO® Cycle products, Evonik will launch its new organo-modified siloxane-based TEGOMER® Polymer Processing Aids (PPA) for converters looking to replace standard PPAs made from fluoroelastomers in PE and PP processing.

For more information about Evonik’s additive portfolio including the latest TEGO® Antifoams and TEGO® Sorb malodor absorbers a and compatibilization solutions, and explainer video showing the mechanical recycling process, please visit: www.evonik.com/recycling

For further details about Evonik’s Circular Plastics Program, please visit: www.evonik.com/circular-plastics 

Company information

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €18.5 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.49 billion in 2022. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable, and sustainable solutions for customers. About 34,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow.

About Specialty Additives

The Specialty Additives division combines the businesses of versatile additives and high-performance crosslinkers. They make end products more valuable, more durable, save more energy and simply better. As formulation experts in fast growing markets such as coatings, mobility, infrastructure and consumer goods, Specialty Additives combines a small amount with a big effect. With its 3,800 employees the division generated sales of €4.18 billion in 2022.

Information about Evonik’s Global Circular Plastics Program

The Evonik Global Circular Plastics Program pools the company's knowledge of markets, products and processes to establish efficient plastics cycles. The aim is to recycle as much plastic as possible mechanically or chemically using the most ecologically and economically viable process. For both technology routes, Evonik offers key components with its specialties to serve the special needs in the circular plastics industry.

Disclaimer

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.