New ABS polymer has more than 95% recycled material

MBA Polymers UK has launched a polymer which is said to be ‘a revolutionary, high-quality recycled alternative’ to the plastics used in electronics, automotive manufacturing and consumer goods.

The British company’s acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) product ABS 4125 UL contains more than 95% recycled content and builds on technical developments at its operations in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. The most commonly known use of ABS is for Lego bricks.

ABS 4125 UL is the first of a range of premium-recycled polymers to be launched by MBA Polymers UK and by 2030 the target is to deliver 100 000 tonnes of recycled plastics content to manufacturers. 

The new ABS product is derived from the e-waste sector. Its UL accreditation, which verifies the quality, safety and sustainability of recycled plastics, is intended to give further confidence to manufacturers about both its traceability and quality.

MBA Polymers UK is part of EMR, which recycles around 10 million tonnes of materials each year, helping to ensure a reliable, high-quality feedstock including end-of-life vehicles, household appliances and material from the construction industry.

Paul Mayhew, general manager at MBA Polymers UK, says: ‘The arrival of this new UL listed ABS 4125 to the market is a transformational moment and I’ve been excited by the interest it has already created among our customers, new and existing.

‘Manufacturers know all too well that changes in regulation, consumer behaviour and the impact on the environment, means that increasing recycled content of products and creating circular products is now essential.’

Mayhew adds that people told him that creating an ABS product with such a high proportion of recycled material would not be possible. ‘Our team of dedicated engineers and scientists have not only proven them wrong, they’ve delivered a product, which can turn the growing supply of waste electronics into the next generation of sustainable consumer products.’