Covestro and Ausell to Drive Progress in End-Of-Life Automotive Plastics Recycling

Covestro, a global leader in high-performance polymer materials, has announced a strengthened partnership with Ausell, a Chinese plastics recycling company, to further advance the recycling of plastics from end-of-life vehicles. This expanded collaboration builds on their previous work in recycling polycarbonate water barrels and aims to significantly contribute to the automotive industry's circular economy. The goal is to transform plastic waste from vehicles into valuable materials that can be used in the production of new automotive components, thereby promoting sustainability within the sector.

Since 2020, Covestro and Ausell have been successfully working together to recycle 1 million 19-liter polycarbonate water barrels annually. These barrels are converted into high-performance post-consumer recycled (PCR) polycarbonates, which are then utilized across various industries, including electronics, home appliances, and automotive. With the enhanced partnership, Ausell will now provide recycled polycarbonates sourced from discarded automotive headlamps, which Covestro will process into high-quality PCR materials specifically for automotive engineering applications. This collaboration represents a key step toward closing the plastics recycling loop in the automotive sector, helping to reduce waste and carbon emissions while improving resource efficiency.

Lily Wang, Global Head of Covestro’s Engineering Plastics Business Entity, expressed excitement about the deepened partnership, stressing the importance of working closely with value chain partners to accelerate the circular transformation of the automotive industry. She highlighted the companies' shared commitment to developing sustainable solutions that pave the way for a climate-neutral future. Xia Wenjun, CEO of Ausell, emphasized that this enhanced collaboration is a major move toward achieving the shared vision of a circular economy. By turning end-of-life automotive components into valuable resources, the partnership not only helps reduce waste but also supports the development of sustainable materials for future vehicle production.

The automotive industry is under increasing pressure to adopt more sustainable practices due to regulatory requirements and the growing demand for circular economy solutions. Many companies in the sector are striving to “close the loop” on materials and improve the recycling of automotive plastics. This partnership positions Covestro and Ausell at the forefront of this movement, offering innovative, high-performance materials that address challenges in plastic waste management and resource utilization within the automotive industry.

The recycled polycarbonates produced through this collaboration will not only enhance the sustainability of automotive components but also showcase the potential of high-value recycling solutions. By focusing on the recycling of automotive plastics, the partnership demonstrates a clear commitment to making the automotive industry more sustainable while meeting the growing demand for environmentally friendly and circular material solutions. Through this effort, Covestro and Ausell are helping to set new standards in plastics recycling for the automotive sector, contributing to a cleaner, more circular economy.