Regenerating Difficult-to-recycle Plastic Waste into Consumer Goods - Contributing to the resolution of the global plastic waste problem with Furukawa Electric's unique technology

Written by Furukawa Electric

TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach ^[1] - 22 January 2021 - Furukawa Electric ^[2] has developed a unique technology to regenerate difficult-to-recycle plastic waste, such as Flexible packaging waste, into high strength reinforced plastic.

Flexible packaging, due to its lightweight, durability and quality, is regularly used for the protection of food and daily goods. However, since flexible packaging is often made from layers of different plastic materials, as well as Aluminium and paper, for most cases such waste ends up in landfill or incinerated.

The technology which we have developed utilizes the Cellulose Fiber of paper waste as a reinforcement source, by defibrating the paper into Cellulose fibers, and to disperse the fibers into the plastic in a single process. With this technology, the tensile strength of the original plastic can be increased up to approximately double that of its original state, allowing the regenerated material to be used for various end applications.

Since 2019, this technology has been used for our cable related products, and has further succeeded in producing ballpoint pens made from various flexible packaging with the co-operation from Zebra Co., Ltd, and have put to use.

Not limiting to our company's products, we will continue to coordinate and collaborate with all parties in the recycling value chain by expanding the range of this technology's use to include applications such as stationery, furniture, electrical appliances and automobile parts. By enhancing plastic recycling worldwide, we will contribute in solving the problem of plastic waste.

News release URL: https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/release/2020/fun_20201218.html ^[3]