This article was originally published on Forbes.com on February 24, 2025.
For a long time, material development has focused on enhancing performance and reducing costs. Efforts have been directed toward making products lighter, tougher, better insulated, more beautiful, easier to shape, more durable and more affordable. These advancements have significantly contributed to our modern and comfortable lifestyle.
However, as modernization reaches new heights, the circular economy has become integral to the definition of "performance." Considering environmental impacts in material development represents a paradigm shift in innovation, product development and manufacturing processes. This transition necessitates new measurements, standards and instrumental infrastructure. It requires fresh thinking, time for knowledge and experience generation and continuous investment, all of which depend on a predictable market and an enabling environment.
Industry Adaptation
Various industries have adapted to these changes in different ways. The automotive industry, for example, increasingly incorporates recycled materials into vehicle manufacturing. Similarly, the construction industry adopts sustainable materials like recycled concrete and reclaimed wood to minimize waste and promote resource efficiency. Consumer electronics companies commonly use recycled materials for adaptor enclosures and packaging, and many countries have set up programs for consumers to return their end-of-life electronic products. The packaging industry has also seen a significant shift, with companies developing biodegradable and compostable materials to replace traditional plastics, reducing waste and aligning with consumer preferences for eco-friendly products.
On the same token, material companies have also adapted to changes in different ways. Besides shifting the product innovation pipeline to sustainable materials development, material companies have started securing sustainable feedstock and recycling to better develop and supply sustainable materials to the market. These efforts include backward integration with recyclers for quality and stable waste, collaborating with brand owners to return and collect end-of-life products as feedstock, engaging in recycling technology development and taking actions to reduce scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
Recycling Technologies Contributing To Circularity
Developing sustainable materials requires a stable supply of sustainable feedstock—waste or end-of-life products. Circularity involves retrieving and reusing materials within the system, with recycling technology serving as a crucial link.
Recycling end-of-life products to create new ones is key to the circular economy model. Different recycling technologies are used for different polymers to achieve better yield and quality. Nowadays, there are proven recycling technologies that offer more upcycling potential that traditional mechanical recycling cannot provide. Dissolution and depolymerization recycling technologies are two examples I'll detail below, and others include pyrolysis and gasification.
Dissolution Recycling
Dissolution recycling is a physical recycling method that uses solvents to extract specific polymers from mixed waste streams. This method allows for the recovery of high-quality materials that can be reused in new products.
One of the key successes of dissolution recycling is its ability to handle mixed and contaminated plastic wastes, which are often challenging to recycle using traditional methods. Currently, polycarbonate, ABS and polystyrene are effectively recycled via the dissolution process. These materials are commonly used in daily products such as consumer electronics, appliances, food packaging and car interior parts.
Depolymerization Recycling
Depolymerization recycling is a chemical recycling method that breaks down plastics into their basic chemical monomers, which can then be used to produce new materials. This technology allows recycled materials to be of similar quality to virgin plastic materials.
PMMA (acrylic) and polystyrene are currently involved in the depolymerization process. PMMA is commonly used for decorative panels, shelves, displays and cosmetic product packaging.
To Make Material Circular
Material science is at the forefront of the transition to a circular economy. Product innovations and recycling technologies have made significant strides in advancing circularity, allowing us to create a more sustainable and resilient future.
Collaboration between industry, academia and government will be crucial in overcoming challenges and scaling up these technologies. Harmonized policies and infrastructure are required to complete the circular economy model. These are long-term continuous investments, both in monetary terms and talent development. As mentioned earlier, the industry needs a predictable market as the foundation, including upcoming policies and regulations, rational requirements and societal demands.
The overall challenge is to connect the "missing links" in the product cycle to make it circular. Each stakeholder in the cycle will have to take a step forward to fill the gaps. For instance, brand owners will need to develop systems to collect the used products, material manufacturers will have to find ways to innovate technology to rescue the end-of-life materials, product designers will have to consider recyclability in their design and consumers' behavior will have to change that returning the used products become a norm. For all these, we need policies and regulations to support; in fact, authority can take a role in setting up infrastructure and motivating society to realize the change.
Looking ahead, several trends are likely to shape the future of material science within the context of the circular economy, including biodegradable, bio-based and bio-attributed materials, advanced recycling technologies and circular design principles. With the rise of AI, digitalization and data analytics will become a key part of material science development. Policy and regulations will continue to be essential elements in determining the direction and speed of development.
As a technology professional, I am thrilled to be part of the industry’s evolution. This is a time when we strive to overcome obstacles and explore new areas. To make the circular economy successful at scale, it is essential to drive our efforts with science and facts rather than emotions. Material development is a process, and it is also a collaboration. By working together, we can create a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.
Hans Hendriks is a member of Forbes Technology Council.