Industry first as post-consumer plastic unveiled for lighting diffusers

A German chemical firm has unveiled a special plastic made from post-consumer and post-industrial waste which it says is suitable for lighting diffusers for cars and other applications.

In what the company is describing as an industry first, Mocom has launched  diffusing compounds based on recycled polycarbonate which it says demonstrate for the first time that recyclates from mechanical recycling can be used in optically diffuse, translucent applications.

The compounds contain post-consumer recyclates as well as post-industrial recyclates and are therefore produced with raw materials from secondary sources.

The compounds are part of the new Alcom® LD ECO (Light Diffusion) and Alcom® LG ECO (Light Guiding) portfolios.
For the compound production of the Alcom® LD ECO and Alcom® LG ECO portfolios, the material streams used are screened, compounded on specially designed process equipment and provided with precisely selected additives.

These contain up to 100 percent polymer recyclate. Mocom says the use of mechanically recycled polycarbonate reduces the Global Warming Potential (GWP) by up to 80 percent compared to the use of virgin material. In addition, only electricity from renewable sources is used for the compounding of Alcom® Lighting materials in Europe.

‘New regs in the automotive sector will increasingly demand recyclate-based solutions in the future, even in applications where it would not be expected’ Kurt Maschke, senior director global marketing automotive at Mocom told the Circular Lighting Report.

‘To meet these needs at an early stage and support our customers today in applications for tomorrow’s indoor and outdoor lighting projects, we are now expanding our sustainable portfolio ahead of time with Alcom® LD ECO and Alcom® LG ECO.’

Mocom will be exhibiting its sustainable lighting portfolio at Fakuma 2023 in Friedrichshafen (Germany). From October 17 to 21, the company’s booth is to be found at stand 4206 in hall B4.

• Don’t miss Circular Lighting Live 2023, Recolight’s flagship conference and exhibition taking place on Thursday 21 September 2023 at the Royal College of Physicians in London. Free to specifiers, Circular Lighting Live 2023 will feature leading experts, specifiers and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. For 2023, the organisers have moved to a bigger venue with more expansive exhibition floor and included a dedicated track for lighting designers. More info: www.circularlighting.live