Protecting the Environment by Using Ocean-Bound Plastic
Sustainable solution: Using #tide’s recycled material for a quality component at Motherson.
#tide ocean helps customers meet their sustainability goals by using recycled quality plastic and decreasing their carbon footprint. #tide ocean’s solution gives ocean-bound plastic waste value by using the latest recycling know-how and creating environmental, social, and marketing impact.
Challenge
The EU legislation requires that, by 2030, 25% of plastic used to build a new vehicle must come from post-consumer recycling. For this reason, Motherson discovered #tide’s ocean-bound recyclates, its target-oriented compounding and quality controlling, and decided to team up with the startup to replace virgin plastics within the automotive parts. This goal is aligned with the automotive OEMs who need to increase the recycled plastic content in their vehicles and reduce their carbon footprint. Yet, there are only a few suppliers in the recycling industry that offer global post-consumer grades with a consistent quality and technical support.
Solution
Thanks to the high quality of #tide’s recyclate, parts manufactured from it exhibit an equivalent functionality as the ones made from a virgin counterpart. #tide’s recyclates are made of 100% ocean-bound plastic, giving waste a second life and reducing ocean plastic pollution. This technology not only reduces the dependence on fossil-based plastics but also significantly decreases the product’s carbon footprint. Motherson’s drive for sustainable alternatives helps develop new solutions by replacing virgin-material components with post-consumer recyclates.
Outcome
The property and lab tests have shown that #tide ocean’s material has the potential to replace a considerable amount of series materials in large components such as instrument panels. Following the preliminary tests, Motherson produced an instrument panel in an open compound with a substantial percentage of #tide’s material. Motherson thus achieved properties comparable to those of previously used virgin plastics but with an impressive social and environmental positive impact. According to the life cycle analysis measuring the sustainability impact of #tide’s recycled polypropylene, the carbon footprint can be reduced by 50%.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Tessa Brettschneider (Motherson), Fabian Wehrle (Motherson), Alena Kolbe (Motherson) and Jeremy Margheriti (#tide ocean).
Contact for the project
Alexander Schwerdt, Ventures Mobility
STARTUP AUTOBAHN powered by Plug and Play is an open innovation platform that provides an interface between innovative tech companies and industry-leading corporations. The basis of the program is the partnership that develops between startups and the corporate business units. The two entities hold an equal footing from the get-go: together they evaluate the potential for a joint venture, move forward to pilot the technology, and work to achieve the ultimate goal — a successful production-ready implementation. Designed with the intention to exceed startup acceleration, STARTUP AUTOBAHN powered by Plug and Play moderates a community for collaboration with a focus on implementable results. Over the years, the platform has successfully cultivated over 400 projects with more than 300 startups since its founding in 2016.
