Value-adding and sustainable use of plastics
Single-use plastic issues mislead public about value of plastic uses
Early 2019 the EU presented a list of products made out of single-use plastics which will be banned such as straws and plastic cutlery through the single-use plastics directive. The continued reports in media about the “big plastic soup” in our oceans has raised public awareness and support for the issue. But, it has also, to some degree, created an incorrect understanding of plastics as unnecessary products with negative environmental impact. And while this may be true for many single-use plastic products, plastic and polymer products are value-adding and non-interchangeable in many infrastructure and day-to-day uses.
Increasing recycling
Users of plastic as well as us that supply minerals to the plastic industry can contribute to increased use of sustainable plastic products.
Pro-active attitude towards plastic recycling
LKAB Minerals’ minerals are not used in single-use plastic articles. This is mainly because we focus on high end uses for our industrial minerals. These high-quality plastics are more recycled already, such as parts for the automotive industry.
Minerals also have a potential to both be recycled and to support recycling practices, as an example we offer a solution with our MagniF.
Sustainability minerals for sustainable plastics
Recycling is one part of sustainability. Minerals can positively impact sustainability of plastics in more ways:
- Value-adding uses: ATH and UltraCarb are used for fire prevention, flame retardancy and smoke suppression
- Sustainable sourcing: LKAB Minerals’ mica products (MicaFort and DekorFlake), as all of our products, have a transparent supply chain and comes from controlled sources, and help our customers avoid the highly publicised pitfalls of non-controlled supplies and the associated risks.
