As industries face increasing pressure to meet sustainability targets in recent years, the demand for sustainable engineering plastics has grown significantly. Environmental legislation, consumer demand, and advancements in materials science are reshaping how businesses approach plastics in their operations. The challenge is for our industry to catch up with the sustainable plastics that are becoming more widely available for everyday use, and produce sustainable engineering plastics without compromising performance or compliance.
What Are Sustainable Plastics?
Sustainable plastics fall into three main categories:
- Bio-Based Plastics: Derived from renewable sources such as corn or sugarcane, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
- Recycled Plastics: Repurposed from post-consumer or post-industrial waste, providing a second life for materials that would otherwise contribute to landfill.
- Biodegradable Plastics: Engineered to break down naturally under specific conditions, reducing long-term waste.
Key Trends Shaping the Future of Sustainable Plastics
Recycled and Renewable
Recycling and renewable sourcing are becoming essential strategies in the plastics industry. By integrating recycled or renewable materials, manufacturers can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of their products.
Chemical vs. Mechanical Recycling
- Chemical Recycling: Breaks plastics down into their chemical components, allowing for high-quality reprocessing. Chemical recycling enables higher material quality but is resource-intensive.
- Mechanical Recycling: Physically reprocesses plastics into new products, often at a lower cost, but with the disadvantage that it may degrade material properties.
Bioplastics and Innovative Materials
Breakthroughs in bioplastics are paving the way for materials that combine sustainability with high performance. New composites are being developed to improve recyclability while maintaining durability and resistance to demanding industrial conditions.
Sustainable Engineering Plastics are Still in Their Infancy
Unfortunately, the creation of sustainable engineering plastics is not as easy as the creation of sustainable everyday plastics. Research is being conducted into the production of bio-derived super engineering plastics (SEPs), but with the warning that “bio-derived thermosets or thermoplastics rarely offer thermal/mechanical properties, scalability, or recycling that match those of petrochemical SEPs”.
This September, engineers at Warwick University, UCL and Manchester University launched a campaign to secure funding for a joint initiative to create a Manufacturing Research Hub in Engineering Plastics for a Sustainable Future. The founders are calling for the adoption of circular economy principles, which includes looking at ways of recovering and recycling engineering plastics already in use.
Challenges and Pain Points in Adopting Sustainable Plastics
Balancing Cost and Quality
A common misconception is that sustainable materials compromise performance or durability. However, advancements in material science have made eco-friendly options increasingly competitive with traditional plastics.
Regulatory Compliance
Sustainability standards vary across industries, adding complexity for businesses striving to meet requirements. ISO-certified materials, such as those provided by AFT Fluorotec, help clients ensure compliance without sacrificing quality.
Circularity and End-of-Life Solutions
End-of-life (EOL) management remains a significant challenge. Few options exist for recycling high-performance plastics, making circular supply chains essential.
How AFT Fluorotec Is Leading the Way in Sustainability
Quality and Longevity
AFT Fluorotec designs and creates bespoke parts that are precision engineered and made from high quality materials. Our approach ensures each material is optimised for durability, compliance, and environmental impact. Parts that are manufactured to be a perfect fit and made with hard wearing materials will work effectively and efficiently for many years, allowing your equipment to run smoothly and without causing costly breakdowns necessitating replacement parts, and therefore lowering overall waste.
Advanced Manufacturing and End-to-End Expertise
With in-house manufacturing capabilities, AFT Fluorotec maintains strict quality control while minimising waste. This integrated approach allows us to deliver sustainable, high-performance solutions at every stage of production.
Sustainable Working Practices
Sustainability is at the core of our business practice and Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. Over the years we have introduced ways of going greener in order to become a more sustainable business. Recently we installed solar energy at our Welwyn Garden City HQ, substantially reducing our energy footprint.
We are also implementing other ways of becoming more sustainable, for example by replacing solvent-based paints with water-based coatings, installing LEDs throughout our buildings, and reusing cardboard packaging. We are ISO 14001 accredited to prove both our commitment and our performance, giving companies looking for suppliers with sustainable practices the reassurance they need.
Get in Touch
At AFT Fluorotec, we’re proud to offer high-performance solutions tailored to your needs as well as the needs of the planet. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you with high performance bespoke parts at the same time as helping you move towards your sustainability objectives.
