By Anand Srinivasan, Managing Director – Covestro (India) & Head of Engineering Plastics ISC
In an era where environmental sustainability has become a global imperative, innovative recycling technologies are revolutionizing how we view plastic waste. No longer just a disposal challenge, plastic waste is gradually being recognized as a valuable resource that can be reintroduced into the production cycle, creating a circular economy that benefits businesses, consumers, and our planet. Leading this transformation is Covestro, a global polymer materials manufacturer committed to achieving complete circularity and climate neutrality in its operations.
The Circular Economy Revolution
The linear “take-make-dispose” economic model that dominated the 20th century is rapidly giving way to circular approaches. Covestro has positioned itself at the forefront of this transition with an aim to achieve climate neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035, and the Group’s Scope 3 emissions to be climate neutral by 2050.
This commitment is reflected in Covestro’s comprehensive circular economy program launched in 2019, which establishes a roadmap for transitioning from traditional, fossil-based manufacturing to circular systems where materials maintain their value throughout multiple lifecycles.
Innovative Recycling Portfolio: The CQ Solutions
Central to Covestro’s circular approach is its CQ (Circular Intelligence-Quotient) solutions portfolio, which includes three innovative product series:
R Series: Mechanically Recycled Materials
The R Series represents Covestro’s post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics, offering consistent performance with traceable certifications. With more than 15 years of expertise in PCR, Covestro provides polycarbonate products with recycled content ranging from 25% to 90%.
Real-world applications demonstrate the effectiveness of these solutions. For instance, Covestro partnered with Kaco and Nongfu Spring to develop water bottles using PCR plastics, and with Anker to create electronic products containing 75% recycled polycarbonate ABS that still meet fire-resistance requirements and offer colorful design options.
RE Series: Bio-Circular Attributed Solutions
The RE Series represents a significant advancement in sustainable materials. These products use bio-circular feedstocks (such as used cooking oils and other biological waste) via mass-balance attribution, reducing carbon footprints more effectively than traditional PCR materials.
RP Series: Chemically Recycled Attributed Products
The RP Series addresses materials that are challenging to recycle mechanically by employing chemical recycling processes. These innovative solutions can process a wider range of waste materials, including discarded tires and mixed plastic waste.
Partnership in India: Transforming Polyurethane Waste
In July 2025, Covestro (India) announced a landmark collaboration with CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) to develop innovative solutions for upcycling polyurethane waste—one of the most challenging materials to recycle due to its complex chemical structure and cross-linked nature.
This partnership focuses on developing advanced chemical and electrochemical recycling methods that overcome the limitations of current technologies, which often suffer from high energy consumption, material degradation, harmful byproducts, and limited applicability across different polyurethane types.
Covestro has already made significant progress in polyurethane recycling, developing an innovative technology that can recover both core raw materials from used mattress foam—polyols and the precursor to isocyanate TDI—which can then be reused for producing new foam products.
Turning Old Tires into New Car Parts
Another remarkable initiative involves a three-way collaboration between Covestro, Neste, and Borealis to transform discarded tires—which often end up in landfills or incineration—into valuable materials for automotive components.
This project exemplifies the concept of “upcycling” where waste products are transformed into materials of higher value. Through innovative chemical processes, end-of-life tires can be broken down into their molecular components and reconfigured into high-performance materials for new vehicle parts, creating a closed loop in automotive materials usage.
Design for Circularity
Recognizing that true circularity requires rethinking product design from the ground up, Covestro has partnered with REnato lab to introduce the Circular Design Guidebook specifically focused on the electrical and electronics industry.
This guidebook introduces five key circular design strategies:
1. Mono-material design for easier recycling
2. Design for disassembly
3. Material selection guidance for recyclability
4. Embedded circular economy business models
5. “Less is More” approach to reduce material complexity
These strategies have been applied in various product concepts, including mono-material LED headlamp modules for automobiles, notebooks designed for easier dismantling, and medical injection pens with mono-material construction.
Aesthetics of Recycling
In collaboration with the Colour & Imaging Institute of Tsinghua University, Covestro is exploring how recycled materials can be made visually appealing through innovative Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) design.
The project ensures Covestro’s materials can be applied by CMF designers with full transparency and confidence, enabling brands to use the best recycled polycarbonate material choices for the environment. This work demonstrates that sustainable materials need not compromise on aesthetics or brand identity.
Climate Impact and Path to Neutrality
Covestro’s circular initiatives are intrinsically linked with its climate goals. As mentioned before, to achieve climate neutrality for its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2035 with an intermediate target of 60% reduction by 2030. Covestro plans investments of up to 600 million euros.
The climate benefits of circular products are substantial. Compared to conventional fossil-based materials with a carbon footprint of 3.5 kg CO₂ equivalent per kilogram, circular alternatives can achieve reductions of up to 85% in greenhouse gas emissions.
Conclusion: Transforming the Materials Industry
The innovations in recycling technologies pioneered by Covestro and other industry leaders are fundamentally transforming how we view and manage plastic waste. Through mechanical recycling, chemical processes, bio-circular feedstocks, and innovative design approaches, what was once considered waste is increasingly becoming a valuable resource in a circular economy.
As these technologies continue to mature and scale, they promise to decouple economic growth from resource consumption, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and minimize waste sent to landfills or the environment. The future of materials science lies not in extracting more virgin resources but in keeping existing materials in circulation for as long as possible—maintaining their value while reducing their environmental footprint.
For businesses and consumers alike, these innovations offer a path to sustainable products that don’t compromise on performance, aesthetics, or economic viability. As we continue to face global environmental challenges, circular recycling technologies stand as a testament to human imagination and our capacity to reimagine systems for a more sustainable future.