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Shaping a more circular future for electrical and electronics

Covestro, an innovative pioneer in sustainable polymers, is redefining the production and consumption of engineering plastics in the electrical and electronics industry. From supplying sustainable products and promoting circular design concepts, to enabling value chain collaborations, Covestro is committed to providing a full range of sustainable solutions and shaping a circular future for the electrical and electronics industry.

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Environmental consciousness is reforming the E&E Industry

Today, people are increasingly concerned about the irreversible impact that our way of living is having on our planet. Driven by trends in sustainability and carbon neutrality, technology giants in the electrical and electronics industry are exemplifying corporate social responsibilities by uplifting sustainable ambitions as strategic priorities. Circularity is becoming the key innovation driver for electrical and electronics brands. It’s safe to say, the future trends of new product development will include the use of environmentally friendlier and lower-carbon emission materials.

Comprehensive PCR solutions with upcycling technology

Plastic waste has long been seen as a huge challenge to sustainability. To close the material loop, Covestro has introduced a product portfolio with high-quality “post-consumer recycled” (PCR) polycarbonates content to enable electrical and electronics brands to realize their sustainability ambitions.

Covestro offers a wide ranged PCR portfolio, including Makrolon®, Bayblend®, and Makroblend®. Coverstro’s PCR products offer high quality comparable to virgin grades, with proven performance in toughness and heat resistance, and sporting a thin wall design with flame retardant additives. Our high content product with up to 75% post-consumer recycled polycarbonate content can reduce carbon emission up to 50%. Covestro follows strict supplier management and comprehensive quality control systems to ensure safe, traceable, and high-quality materials, meeting the high standard requirements of the electrical and electronics industry and complying with EPEAT eco label quality standards. Additionally, Covestro’s PCR solution offers good colorability enabling it to meet aesthetic design requirements, helping designers develop appealing products for end consumers.

Covestro’s PCR solution has been widely recognized by global brands and adopted into electrical and electronics applications around the globe, such as laptops, smart speakers, network devices, service robots, and more. Covestro stands with its consumers in caring for the world we live in, and is dedicated to delivering low carbon and recycling commitments to society through a diversified sustainable product portfolio alongside rigorous supply chain and quality controls, enabling brand value elevation for electrical and electronic brands.

Advancing toward carbon neutrality through alternative raw materials

Polymers tend to be closely linked with fossil-based raw materials. As a key step in achieving full circularity, Covestro is actively exploring alternative raw materials to fossil feedstocks in order to reduce the environmental impact and carbon footprint.

Through collaborating with value chain partner, Covestro is already supplying ISCC PLUS certified polycarbonates, to which renewable feedstock from bio waste and residues has been attributed via mass balance approach. , bringing along significant carbon footprint reduction.

In addition, with the use of renewable energy, Covestro plans to deliver world’s first climate-neutral polycarbonate resin later this year, which is expected to cut carbon emissions completely for these selected products from cradle to gate.

The world’s first climate-neutral polycarbonate resin

Promoting circular design strategies

Design is a critical driver in the shift from a linear economy to a circular economy. Key is to consider the end of product life during the initial design phase. By utilizing circular design strategies, electrical and electronics disposal can be more effectively recycled and reused. Subsequently, material efficiency will be enhanced and carbon emissions reduced.

Covestro created the first Circular Design Guidebook geared specifically for the electrical and electronics industry. This Guidebook is designed to help designers, developers, and other players in the value chain to consider the Circular Economy at the outset of product design, as well as providing guidelines on how to select materials.

In addition, Covestro’s Color & Design team offers CMF (Color, Material, Finish) guides to integrate aesthetic CMF design into Covestro’s more sustainable polycarbonate material portfolio and promote a design approach that brings aesthetics together with circular design.

Collaborating with value chain partners

Collaborative effort is required from all stakeholders to achieve a circular economy. Covestro collaborates with our partners to build up the recycling value chain. For example, we have partnered with Chinese beverage provider Nongfu Spring and recycler Ausell to build a recycling value chain to meet the growing demand for high-quality, traceable, recyclable plastic pellet as raw material. Moving forward, Covestro is eager to work with ever more partners across the value chain to achieve our fully circular ambition.

“Moving towards a circular economy is our commitment to the world. Covestro is working closely with the value chain to shape a circular future for the electrical and electronics industry through our comprehensive green solutions.”

Nan Hu

Head of Electronics & Electrical Global Industrial Marketing, Engineering Plastics, Covestro

Key Benefits

Comprehensive solutions: Offer a full range of more sustainable engineering plastics solutions for the electrical and electronics industry
Brand value: Realize the sustainable commitments of electrical and electronics brands to elevate their brand value across the globe
Smaller footprint: Reduce the carbon footprint of end products in traceable ways
Eco label: Enable electrical and electronic brands to obtain eco labels, such as EPEAT