Evonik is significantly expanding its commitment to developing solutions for the circular economy. From 2030, the specialty chemicals company aims to generate at least €1 billion in additional sales a year from circular products and technologies.

“The circular economy is a strong growth driver for Evonik and helps us to generate sustainable value,” said Harald Schwager, deputy chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik.

The Group’s circular economy strategy is based on several levers: Evonik wants to further strengthen its activities with additives and specialties for the circular economy. At the same time, Evonik intends to make greater use of defossilized raw materials based on recycled materials, biomass and CO2.

The company also continues to develop its own technologies for closing the loop: for example, for chemical recycling of PET waste streams that cannot be recycled mechanically. It is also developing technologies that allow carbon dioxide and bio-based raw materials as feedstock.

“We want to make the entire industry circular,” Lauren Kjeldsen, head of the Smart Materials Division and responsible for the Circular Economy Program, said. “With our expertise in specialty chemicals, we support our customers in the transition to circular applications by making their manufacturing processes more efficient and improving quality in line with Design for Circularity.”

Many of Evonik’s products already contribute to the circular economy in various value chains. Examples include:
• Products based on circular raw materials that are labeled eCO in the product name, such as VESTAMID eCO
• Additives to improve the efficiency and yield of recycling processes and the quality of recycled materials, for example in mechanical plastics recycling with TEGO® Cycle
• CHLOROCEL adsorbents for removing impurities in chemical plastics recycling
• DEGACRYL  heat seal binder for the production of mono-material packaging that is particularly easy to recycle
• Improved durability and service life thanks to high-performance plastics (VESTAMID) and crosslinkers (VESTAMIN, VESTANAT)