2020 annual and sustainable performance report

Arkema has developed a thermoplastic resin that means it is now possible to make fully recyclable wind turbine blades.

“We’re working on a case-by-case basis, identifying sources of recoverable materials – starting with scraps and production waste at our clients’ factories,” says Noël Zylberfarb, Sustainable Offer Manager at Arkema. Different recovery models are being structured: “Closed” loops, where mechanically recycled polymers (grinding and purification) are re-introduced directly into production, and “open” loops in which Arkema sells on the market grades of polymers containing a proportion of recycled material.

Eco-design gains momentum

At the same time, we are paying closer attention to the design of finished products, which must incorporate circularity from the outset. “In order to promote recycling, one of the core elements of the circular economy, there is now a clear move towards singlematerial products where possible or, failing that, provision for separating the various components. And it is essential that the materials used, which include additives, coatings and adhesives, present no barrier to recycling or separation, but also that they contribute to it fully through their properties. In particular, selecting materials free from hazardous substances is becoming increasingly important in terms of recycling,” says Noël. This shift toward the principles of eco-design calls for a real change of culture, which the Group is working to bring to its partners, and of course to its own teams. The already-famous Cyclon racing shoe (see opposite) is an excellent example of eco-design and virtuous partnerships, from the choice of raw materials to product end-of-life, supported by an innovative business model.

Focus

Bringing industrial waste into the loop

Downstream of its production processes, Arkema is always looking for ways to re-use waste materials and by-products in other value chains.

“In 2020, 35% of the Group’s waste was already being recycled,” explains Jean Morch, Vice President, Safety and Environment. “Nearly 140,000 metric tons are reused as an energy source during incineration, or as a raw material in another product.” Waste is inherent in chemicals manufacturing, and the waste generated by the Group – 400,000 metric tons last year – is a major source of value in enabling progress toward the circular economy. As a result, the proportion of recovered waste will increase further in the coming years. “We take a proactive approach to leveraging new sources of recovery and recycling wherever possible, and this will involve developing new partnerships,” he adds. In particular, there is scope for progress in the processing of certain types of waste into products that can be used in other sectors.

Recovery sectors

For example, for several years, the sodium-containing water from the purification of a monomer manufactured at the Arkema plant in Mont has been used by industrial paper mills for the manufacture of craft paper and cardboard. In Lacq, the desulfogypsum produced during the treatment of sulfur residues is now used to manufacture plasterboard. In 2020, 14,500 metric tons of this product were reused and kept out of landfill. Similarly, the palladium in used secondary filters in the Jarrie (France) oxygenated water production lines is now recycled and used to manufacture one of the catalysts used by the site. “Since 2019, our circularity efforts have been coordinated on Arkema’s sites and with Arkema’s partners by a multidisciplinary working group of people from business lines, procurement, R&D and processes,” says Jean. In the circular economy, (almost) nothing gets lost, (almost) everything is reused… as long as you put the effort in!