R-Series: Mechanical Recycling Solutions for the Electronics & Electrical Industry
From Waste to Resource – Meeting E&E Industry Needs
Through mechanical recycling, end-of-life plastics such as water bottles, construction sheets, and automotive headlamps are collected, cleaned, shredded, and reprocessed into high-quality PCR granules.
This process enables brand new electronic devices to use Covestro materials that contain up to 90% recycled plastic.
Customers can already choose from a broad portfolio of impact resistant Makrolon® R grades and tough, flame retardant Bayblend® R blends.
Closing the Material Loop for a More Circular Economy
By working closely with partners along the entire value chain – from suppliers and processors to OEMs and end customers – the R-Series supports a plastic reuse in a circular system.
For example, when consumers return used polycarbonate water bottles to retailers, these are cleaned, shredded into flakes, and reprocessed into new materials. These recyclates, once approved and certified, flow back into production, closing the loop for post-consumer plastics.
Applications of the R-Series in the Electrical and Electronics Industry
Brands such as Jabra and Roborock, according to case studies conducted with R-products from Covestro, are already using the R-Series in more sustainable devices. Jabra integrates Bayblend® FR3010 R75 with 75% recycled content into ear cushion housings of its Evolve2 headset series, resulting in a reported halving the CO₂ emissions while ensuring durability, chemical resistance against skin oils and cosmetics, and premium aesthetics.
The R-Series also enables Roborock to incorporate recycled polycarbonates into robotic vacuum cleaners, ensuring impact strength, flame retardancy, and long-term reliability in demanding household environments.
Jabra and Roborock demonstrate how high-quality applications can be achieved with recycled content. The R-series meet all the demanding performance requirements from our customers and allow them to use up to 75% post-consumer recycled content.
Enabling sustainable design for demanding applications
These examples demonstrate how the R-Series can help manufacturers balance carbon reduction, product performance, and design flexibility in highly competitive markets. In addition, our mechanical recycling engineering plastics ensures that customers can obtain environmental certifications for their end products, supporting corporate sustainability goals and compliance with eco-design regulations.
Key benefits
- Reduced carbon footprint: Up to 75% PCR content in Covestro materials can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 50% compared to virgin grades.
- Certified traceability: Recycling streams certified under UL’s Environmental Claim Validation (ECV) scheme provide transparency and compliance.
- Reliable material performance: Excellent toughness, chemical resistance, flame retardancy, and electrical insulation.
- Design freedom: Transparent grades, durable blends, and customizable color options enable modern product aesthetics.
- Closed-loop: Mechanical recycling transforms waste into valuable resources, reducing the CO₂ footprint and supporting circular economy goals.
