AdvanSix launches 100% recycled nylon

AdvanSix pushes the limits of durability for polyamide, commonly known as nylon.

The Parsippany, NJ, has developed nylon products made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. The materials complement AdvanSix’s 100% post-industrial recycled (PIR) nylon grades, which have been available since 2021.

Recycled nylons include AdvanSix Aegis PIR and PCR resins and Capran PIR biaxially oriented polyamide (BOPA) films.

Applications for nylon products include FDA-compliant food and medical packaging, thermoformed and shrink-wrapped meat and cheese packaging, bag-in-box packaging, as well as home office furniture and automotive components.

“There is a growing demand among plastics and film manufacturers for a reliable and cost effective supply of 100% recycled materials,” said Kori Anderson, vice president and general manager, Nylon Solutions, AdvanSix. “We are excited to bring products to market that can help customers reduce their carbon footprint, reduce landfill impact, and provide an immediate solution to support a wide variety of end markets and industries. apps that touch people’s lives in a more sustainable way.”

Benefits of recycled nylon.

PIR and PCR products offer a range of benefits for converters and film manufacturers:

• Materials meet the highest food and medical packaging compliance standards.
• No equipment changes or re-qualifications are required to make recycled materials work, as their physical and mechanical properties are the same as conventional nylon. Thus, plastics processors and packers can reduce their carbon footprint quickly and easily.
• The materials feature the same processing, forming and durability characteristics as virgin nylon, providing a long-lasting replacement.
• The products are part of a circular solution that helps plastics converters and film manufacturers meet their sustainability goals without compromising on performance.
• The 100% recycled content of AdvanSix PCR and PIR products has been certified by SCS Global Services, Emeryville, CA, an independent third-party organization.
• Materials are eligible for recycled content claims in the FTC’s Green Guides for Environmental Claims.

AdvanSix

A dual-stream approach to nylon recycling.

The manufacture of recycled content nylons includes the recovery of unreacted caprolactam from AdvanSix’s process waste stream as well as the collection of high quality PCR waste from industrial customers who use AdvanSix’s products. These include the company’s nylon processing partners.

AdvanSix combines and purifies PIR and PCR materials and feeds them back into its nylon manufacturing process. It uses a third-party certified mass balance and allocation method to monitor and validate mixed material flows during processing. According to the company, it is a low-energy, high-yield process.

The dual-source approach helps meet the growing demand from plastics and film manufacturers for a reliable, cost-effective supply of high-performance recycled plastics and minimize the volume of plastic waste going to landfill.