Swiss speciality chemical company Clariant (Muttenz; www.clariant.com) has joined the “Circular Plastics Alliance”, an EU initiative that was launched in December 2018 to improve the economics and quality of plastics recycling in Europe (see Plasteurope.com of 17.12.2018).

“Shifting towards a global circular plastics economy is an immense challenge that can only be brought forward through ambitious commitments, collaborations and an active stakeholder dialogue,” said Clariant’s chief transformation officer Bernd Hoegemann. “As part of the Circular Plastics Alliance, Clariant is looking forward to working closely with other key players in advancing plastics circularity throughout Europe.”

The company said its strategy for a circular economy is based on a “smart combination of design for reduction, recycling and reuse options, as well as solutions for mechanical or chemical recycling”.

Richard Haldimann, head of sustainability transformation at Clariant, added that speciality chemicals can assist in enhancing the circularity of plastics by maintaining the value of products, materials and resources in the economy for as long as possible, and by minimising the generation of waste. In 2019, Clariant had established “EcoCircle”, a corporate programme to support the transition to a circular plastics economy (see Plasteurope.com of 22.10.2019).