Committed to sustainable development and circular economy, Braskem, as of July, will implement a new structure at the Technology and Innovation Center in Triunfo, Rio Grande do Sul. Known as Recycling Island, the facility is tasked with testing the performance of recycled resins and develop sustainable and innovative products that meet market needs and do its part in reducing the environmental impact.  The initiative also aims at fostering the development of the recycling chain and its market. 

The Island is located in Braskem's Technology and Innovation Center in the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex (Rio Grande do Sul, RS). It is a pioneering project in the Brazilian petrochemical industry and will supply all regions where the company operates. Using a hardware hub, with specific equipment for testing recycling resins, it will be possible to understand the technical challenges of reusing raw material while complying with the reliability requirements and the needs of clients and brand owners. 

The investment highlights Braskem's concerns in promoting technologies for the development of higher quality recycled resins, so they can have increasing relevance in the plastics supply chain. Besides assisting the market with research and development, the project is directly related with the company commitment to include 300,000 tons of recycled thermoplastic resins and chemicals in its portfolio by 2025, one of the company's main macro-goals. 

Fabiana Quiroga, Braskem Circular Economy director for South America, says that the initiative is an ally in boosting recycling and use of recycled resin in Brazil. "We are playing the part of the industry in developing sustainable and innovative solutions for plastics. The progress made in the quality of post-consumer resins is a major factor to expand the applications of recycled products, and, as a result, strengthen the circular economy," adds the executive. 

According to Fábio Fell, coordinator of the CTI [Centro de Tecnologia e Inovação (Technology and Innovation Center)] Application Laboratory and in charge of the Recycling Island, experiments in the new facility will be supplementary to the studies carried out by the company to understand the applications and type of product design that make the recycling process easier. "This type of information is key to guide the choices related to these two points, bearing in mind the potential incentive to the circular economy. The initiative will also reinforce Braskem as a benchmark in supporting clients and in research and development of thermoplastic resins. Combining state-of-the-art technology and our professionals specialized in circular economy will be one our differentials to offer products with even greater quality to the market," states Fell