Covestro Supplies Product Made with PCR Recycled Material for the New Lexus

Covestro Headquarters, Leverkusen – exterior of the entrance area

Interior components for the ES model will be manufactured in the future from a plastic that is said to consist of 35 percent post-consumer recycled material.


The project, in which the recycled material—known as Bayblend®T85X R35 CQ—is being used to manufacture interior parts for the luxury automotive brand Lexus, represents a major milestone for Covestro in the introduction of more sustainable automotive materials, as the Leverkusen-based company emphasizes in a press release. According to internal calculations, the use of the recycled material is said to reduce CO₂ emissions by 25 percent compared to virgin material.
 
According to the information provided, Toyota Motor Corporation and the parts supplier Kojima Industries Corporation were involved in the development alongside Covestro. According to Covestro, the four companies jointly conducted comprehensive tests and evaluations to ensure that the recycled material meets all performance requirements without compromising quality standards. As a result, the material is said to meet key performance characteristics such as durability, surface quality, dimensional stability, and processability, as well as the specifications for several Lexus interior parts. It could also be seamlessly integrated into existing manufacturing processes. Bayblend® T85X R35 CQ was thus one of the first examples of the integration of 35 percent mechanically recycled post-consumer material into visible components in the premium automotive segment, the company emphasizes. Thanks to the material’s versatility—which extended beyond pre-colored applications to include paintable components—it could also be used in exterior applications. The product’s consistent quality and supply reliability would be ensured by using one of the most reliable sources of post-consumer recycled material in the plastics industry, the company adds.
 
According to Covestro, the plastic solution containing recycled content is intended to support compliance with the expected quotas of the upcoming End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation (ELVR). In the company’s view, it demonstrates how more sustainable materials can simultaneously meet both performance and regulatory requirements in the automotive industry.
 
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