SABIC Creates Circular Polymers Based on Advanced Recycling of Used Medical Plastics

SABIC has successfully recycled non-contaminated used medical plastic into repurposed medical-grade polymers. The project was initiated with the dialysis department at Jessa Hospital, one of the largest non-university medical clusters in the Limburg region of Flanders, Belgium. This project operated as a pilot proof-of-concept.  
 
Medical plastic generated at Jessa’s hospital was converted to pyrolysis oil in an advanced recycling process, delivering circular feedstock for SABIC’s production of TRUCIRCLE polymers in medical grade quality with the same performance, purity, and physiological safety as virgin-based medical grade polymers. 
 
SABIC’s circular materials are produced using mass balance accounting according to the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program. The certified circular polymers form part of the company’s TRUCIRCLE portfolio and services.
 
Lada Kurelec, General Manager, Polymers Technology & Innovation at SABIC, commented: “Working with Jessa Hospital has been an immensely rewarding experience, where we learned how individual belief in circularity can mobilize industry to work together. I value how this collaboration enabled the creation of an ecosystem to collect and recycle non-contaminated medical waste in a very short time. Thanks to this collaboration, we are creating a certified circular TRUCIRCLE polymer portfolio able to serve the healthcare market.  We are inviting other players in the value chain and in other regions to join us and Jessa in this ground-breaking initiative to accelerate the circularity of plastics in the medical industry.”
 
This advancement to the TRUCIRCLE solutions aims to help Jessa Hospital reduce the environmental footprint of its medical products. The hospital hopes to avoid incineration because approximately 85% of used medical plastic generated at the hospital is not contaminated and therefore requires no specialized treatment. 
 
This circular recycling would allow plastics to be repurposed as feedstock for advanced recycling and subsequent production of high-quality medical-grade polymers, saving virgin raw material and contributing to a more circular medical economy.
 
Karl Zwinnen, Project Engineer at Jessa said: “We are very pleased with the advanced and circular recycling approach enabled by SABIC to improve our medical waste management. The setup of an efficient collection system for used medical plastic has met with strong support among our medical and healthcare staff. Besides contributing to enhanced sustainability and circularity, the solution also has an enormous potential for reducing our disposal costs. We look forward to implementing it across all Jessa locations.”
 
SABIC is currently in the process of engaging partners to scale up operations and create a fully closed-loop recycling model for used medical plastic in larger volumes. There is also the potential to initiate similar pilot projects in other countries including the United States.