Daicel Corporation's High Performance Polymers (HPP) Strategic Business Unit (formerly Polyplastics Co., Ltd.), a leading global supplier of engineering plastics, has expanded its sustainable materials portfolio with the introduction of four new DURACON POM grades incorporating 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. The new lineup comprises standard, low-VOC, sliding, and tough variants, giving manufacturers greater flexibility to choose materials that best match their application requirements.

The new PCR-based POM grades made their debut at CHINAPLAS 2026 in Shanghai this April. Among the offerings, the standard grade features a melt flow rate of 9, while the low-VOC version is designed to comply with stringent OEM specifications. The sliding grade delivers enhanced wear and friction performance, and the tough grade provides mechanical characteristics comparable to those of conventional virgin POM materials.

Since 2023, Daicel has been providing its DURACIRCLE re-compounding service, which recycles plastic scrap collected from customer manufacturing facilities. While the program initially focused on post-industrial recycling (PIR), reusing production waste generated during manufacturing, the company's latest PCR-POM grades utilize post-consumer POM materials recovered after their service life, marking a significant step forward in resource circularity.

Maintaining consistent quality remains one of the biggest challenges when working with post-consumer recycled plastics due to variations in the source material. Drawing on its extensive experience in polymer compounding and advanced quality assurance processes, Daicel has demonstrated that the new PCR-POM grades retain key mechanical properties at levels comparable to standard virgin grades, even with 30% recycled content, based on internal testing.

DURACON POM is widely recognized for its excellent mechanical strength, rigidity, wear resistance, low-friction characteristics, and outstanding dimensional stability. These properties have made it a preferred material for demanding applications including gears, electrical connectors, precision components, and automotive parts across multiple industries.

Looking ahead, Daicel plans to continue expanding its PCR-POM portfolio to address a broader range of customer requirements while supporting the industry's transition toward more sustainable engineering plastic solutions.

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Dow, Zermatt, and Nature’s Variety have jointly unveiled a new pet food packaging solution designed with recyclability in mind and made using recycled materials from advanced (chemical) recycling processes. Now available in Spain, France, and Portugal, this breakthrough marks a major advancement in sustainable packaging for the pet food industry by combining several circular economy principles in one product.

This partnership unites three industry leaders—Dow in materials science, Zermatt in sustainable packaging innovation, and Nature’s Variety in premium natural pet food. Dow contributes its expertise in developing materials that enable brands to achieve both performance and sustainability goals. Zermatt brings its experience in producing high-performance, eco-friendly packaging across multiple sectors. Meanwhile, Nature’s Variety continues its mission to deliver wholesome, natural pet foods for dogs and cats.

“This milestone underscores the value of collaboration across the supply chain. By merging our strengths, we’re delivering a packaging solution that anticipates upcoming legislation while promoting sustainability in the pet food market,” said Antonio Barrasus, Commercial Director at Zermatt SA.

A next-generation packaging design for circularity
The new pouch, created specifically for Nature’s Variety products, replaces the previous multi-material structure (PET/PE) with a simplified mono-material polyethylene (PE) film. This design aligns with the anticipated Design for Recyclability (D4R) standards set by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).

The updated structure also includes recycled content sourced from advanced recycling, verified through the ISCC Plus certified mass balance credit system. This ensures that recycled materials can be safely used in food-contact and other sensitive applications—giving consumers confidence in food safety while reducing dependency on virgin plastics and promoting a circular packaging model.

Currently, the new Nature’s Variety pouch contains 10% recycled material (based on the mass balance approach) and supports compliance with the EU’s 2030 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) targets for contact-sensitive packaging. The brand aims to increase this figure to 30% by 2030.

“Through our advanced circular materials and technical expertise, we’re helping brands redesign packaging for recyclability while integrating recycled content into sensitive applications. This supports both corporate sustainability goals and evolving regulatory requirements,” explained Marian Gmenta, Marketing Lead for Circular & Renewable Solutions at Dow.

Meeting consumer expectations for sustainable choices
Nature’s Variety has noted a growing consumer demand for eco-friendly and recyclable packaging solutions. This shift reflects a wider consumer awareness of environmental responsibility and the desire for brands to contribute to circularity.

“At Nature’s Variety, we recognize that every decision we make has an environmental impact,” said Ilaria Bianchi, International Marketing Manager at Nature’s Variety. “We’re committed to offering the best for pets while minimizing our footprint. This new recyclable pouch, which incorporates recycled plastics and reduces virgin material use, represents a significant step toward our sustainability goals.”

The new packaging will be showcased at K 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany, from 8–15 October, at Dow’s Building 04.1, outside Hall 4, alongside other innovative Dow packaging solutions.

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