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For more than twenty years, Teijin Aramid (Arnhem, Netherlands), a subsidiary of the Teijin Group, has been recycling Twaron fibers in its own recycling facilities (“Teijin Aramid program produces bio-based, high-performance aramid fibers” details one such initiative). In the quest to zero emissions, Teijin Aramid has joined forces with recycler Clariter (Siyakha, South Africa) and pioneered a sustainable solution in chemical advanced recycling for Endumax, an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) material. Together, the companies are said to be developing a sustainable, disposal method for high-value, post-production and end-of-life (EOL) material that is difficult to recycle mechanically.

Initial tests performed on Teijin Aramid’s Endumax feedstock were carried out at Clariter’s operational pilot plant in Gliwice, Poland. The results determined that samples of fishing nets, ropes and air cargo containers are suitable materials for chemical recycling. High-resistance UHMW-PE, which Teijin Aramid says was once problematic to recycle, has been now successfully upcycled into feedstock using this recycling process into pure, crude-free industrial products with thousands of applications such as cleaning agents, degreasers, paints and specialty wax. 

“Working with a partner like Teijin Aramid and proving that chemical recycling is the solution for the plastic waste epidemic, brought us again a bit closer to the cleaner and more sustainable future,” says Jasper Munier, Clariter business development manager for northwest Europe. “As a next step, we want to process samples of much larger quantities and types at our 15,000-square-meter industrial-scale plant in East London, South Africa. We look forward to working with Teijin Aramid’s team of experts and positioning chemical recycling as an irreplaceable recycling solution.”

According to Hendrik de Zeeuw, director, Marketing and Sales, Teijin Aramid, this partnership with Clariter will aid customers in reusing Endurmax products, particularly ropes, nets and cables to extend their EOL. “From now on, in the aerospace business, after use, full air cargo containers, including the panels, can be recycled. In collaboration with Clariter, we come again a step closer towards our ambition to be the best high-performance fiber company in the world.”