Cabling company NKT is recycling cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) that is used for insulation of its power cables.
The company said this is a “significant step” in its ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of its low-, medium- and high-voltage power cable solutions.
Power cables are the backbone of the global power grids being crucial to the transition to renewable energy and the focus on sustainability in the power cable industry is constantly increasing, NKT said.
The recycling process has been developed through a project with the Swedish research institute RISE IVF, AXJO Plastic and material specialist Borealis.
In the past few years, NKT has industrialised the process of recycling XLPE in close collaboration with AXJO Plastic, which is now manufacturing cable drums from the recycled XLPE material.
NKT said the benefits of the recycling are clear.
“The material costs are significantly reduced compared with new raw materials and approximately two tonnes of CO2 are saved for every tonne of recycled XLPE,” the company said.
NKT president and chief executive Alexander Kara said: “I am proud that NKT leads the way in recycling of material from power cable production showing that recycling of XLPE is possible in an industrialised scale at our specialised recycling facility in Stenlille, Denmark.
“With the recycling of XLPE from production sites in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, we are taking a significant step in our ambition to decrease the carbon footprint and ensure a sustainable lifecycle of our power cable portfolio.”
XLPE insulation often accounts for a substantial part of its power cables, and so NKT is working closely with material supplier Borealis to discover and develop sustainable solutions with XLPE material for the power cable industry.
Kara said: “A stronger focus on sustainability in our supply chain is a natural step when reducing the overall carbon footprint of our power cables.
“With XLPE being an important material for our high-performing power cables, I am satisfied to see a closer collaboration with our key supplier Borealis to continue to drive sustainable XLPE solutions.”