LMF Operation 16,000t
Huvis announced on the 20th that it will begin commercial production of recycled materials developed through the chemical recycling of waste plastics. The annual production capacity is 16,000 tons.
Huvis participated in the industrial source technology development project conducted by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (now the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) in 2010 and completed the development of chemical recycling technology.
Although there had been difficulties in commercialization due to low awareness of recycled materials and high production costs, recently, global interest in recycled materials for reducing carbon dioxide emissions has increased, and the technology for chemical recycling has improved, leading to the decision to produce the LMF (Low Melting Fiber) product called 'Ecoever LM'.
Ecoever LM uses raw materials chemically recycled from waste plastics, which not only reduces the use of crude oil but also can lower carbon dioxide emissions to about half depending on the content of recycled materials.
Unlike physical recycling, which degrades quality with repeated recycling, chemical recycling decomposes the material into low molecular weight states and then repolymerizes it, so there is no quality degradation even after repeated recycling. It is expected to be used as interior materials such as automobile dashboards, headliners, seats, and door trims.
Europe plans to expand the 'End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive' regarding the ratio of recycled materials in new car production and recycling rates of end-of-life vehicles, with revised enforcement starting in 2031. According to this legislation, 25% of the plastics used in vehicles (about 300 kg per vehicle) must be made from recycled materials, and 30% of these must be recovered and recycled from end-of-life vehicles. Accordingly, demand for recycled materials in the automotive industry is expected to increase annually.
Kim Seok-hyun, CEO of Huvis, said, "We are pleased to contribute to the localization of chemical recycling materials with the start of commercial production of Ecoever LM," adding, "As there is high interest and inquiries about chemical recycling not only in the automotive industry but also in industrial and interior materials, we will accelerate strengthening our portfolio of eco-friendly and differentiated products."
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