Revolutionizing the circular economy with the igus® Chainge program – redefining technical plastics recycling
Marco Thull | 5. June 2023
The igus Chainge program is a recycling program (post-consumer recycling or post-industrial recycling) for energy supply systems and energy chains. The program enables customers to recycle their old energy chains in exchange for a voucher. The old energy supply systems and energy chains are sent to igus, where the plastic material is separated and shredded on site. The unmixed granulate is then sent to the igus recycling partner. The program has expanded with the launch of the new Chainge recycling platform, which enables owners of old plastic parts to submit a recycling claim, process returns, and manage recycling credits. The program aims to simplify recycling and promote a circular economy. It is aimed at such parties as recyclate dealers, recyclable material dealers, and suppliers, and compounders.
In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and resource efficiency, technical plastics recycling is at the heart of efforts to promote the circular economy. In this context, igus, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of technical plastics, has set new standards with its innovative “Chainge” program.
Technical plastics play a central role in many sectors, from the automotive industry to medical technology. Their durability and versatility make them essential, but their disposal and reuse poses a significant challenge. This the challenge that igus accepts with its Chainge program, which recently won first place in the Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s “Going Circular” competition.
The Chainge program is igus’ answer to the need for effective technical plastics recycling. It offers a holistic solution by focusing on the entire plastic product life cycle – from manufacture to use to recycling. By offering solutions for taking back and recycling used plastics, igus demonstrates the feasibility of an efficient technical plastics circular economy.
A crucial part of the Chainge program is the igus return policy. Customers can return their worn-out technical plastic products to igus, where they are efficiently recycled. This helps reduce the amount of plastic waste and minimise raw materials consumption.
The igus Chainge online platform enables customers to recycle used plastic components, especially energy chains, and reuse them in new products. Its goal is to promote a circular economy in which waste is minimised and resources conserved.
The igus recycling process with chainge is simple and easy. Customers can send their used energy chains to igus and, in return, receive a voucher that they can use to buy new products from igus. The recycled plastic is used to make new energy chains, closing the circle and eliminating waste.
The Chainge platform is part of igus’s commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. igus has been recycling technical plastics for more than 50 years, and the Chainge initiative is a natural extension of this commitment.
Since 2019, igus has collected more than 80,000kg of plastic waste from old energy chains as part of the Chainge program. However, this is only a fraction of what igus has planned.
The igus Chainge program takes things one step further. It also provides maintenance and servicing for technical plastic products to extend service life, reducing the need for new products.
The igus Chainge program demonstrates that technical plastics recycling can go hand in hand with the circular economy. A sustainable, efficient model for such recycling is an important igus contribution to promoting the circular economy and tackling the global plastic waste crisis. At a time when the need for sustainable resource use is becoming ever more urgent, the igus Chainge program is a big step in the right direction.