Post-consumer recycled
PCR compounds, controlled from feedstock to pellet
Post-consumer recycled grades for parts where the recycled credential matters most. We match the feedstock to the part and put contamination and odour control first.
What PCR is, and what it asks of a compounder
Post-consumer recycled material, as defined in ISO 14021, comes from end-of-life products: material that has served its purpose and been recovered after use.
It carries a higher sustainability credential than PIR, and it is the feedstock EU closed-loop targets favour. It also needs stronger contamination and odour control, because the material has had a first life before it reaches us.
A PCR grade is only as good as the control around it. We engineer each one to a target property set and test every batch, with the same laboratory and ERP control as our virgin grades.
- Definition: ISO 14021, post-consumer material
- Higher sustainability credential than PIR
- Favoured by EU closed-loop targets
- Engineered to a target property set, never sold as-is
Where PCR fits
Use post-consumer recycled plastic where the part can take it today, and widen the scope as data builds.
| Phase | Typical parts | What we watch |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Logistics | Returnable crates and dunnage | Stiffness, impact and lot-to-lot consistency |
| 2. Non-visible vehicle parts | Talc- or glass-filled rPP for wheel-arch liners, splash guards and underbody shields, moved from PIR to PCR | Property window and VDA 270 odour |
| 3. Semi-visible and exterior parts | TPO blends for bumper substrates and exterior cladding | Surface, colour (delta E) and paintability |
| 4. Later phase | rHDPE for non-critical reservoirs and trims | Feedstock consistency and odour |
A typical route, not a fixed rule. Each PCR grade is engineered and tested against your specification.
Contamination and odour control
PCR needs stronger control than PIR. Four checkpoints apply to every PCR grade.
- 01
Source segregation
PCR feedstock is kept separate by source, so each lot has a known origin.
- 02
Contamination screen and FT-IR
Incoming material is screened for contamination and its polymer identified by FT-IR before it is dosed.
- 03
Devolatilisation and odour control
Twin-screw compounding with devolatilisation, recipe-locked dosing and odour absorbers where the part needs them. VDA 270 limits are agreed per part.
- 04
Batch QC
MFI, density, ash, tensile, flexural, Izod, HDT and delta E on every batch. Ash content shows filler level and inorganic residue.
PCR or PIR for this part?
We supply both and match the feedstock to the part and to the compliance driver. This is how we usually decide.
PCR is the better fit when
- The programme asks for the higher sustainability credential
- The target refers to post-consumer or closed-loop content
- The part is robust: crates, dunnage, non-visible parts
- The part already runs on PIR and the data supports a step up
PIR is the better fit when
- It is the first recycled part on the programme
- The part needs the cleanest, most consistent feedstock
- The odour limit is tight
- You need recycled nylon or ABS for under-hood or interior substructure now
Documentation for your recycled-content claim
A PCR part is only useful if the claim behind it holds up. We support the paperwork your programme needs.
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CoA with every lot
Test results for the lot you received, against the agreed property window.
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Batch genealogy
ERP traceability from raw material to shipment for every lot.
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ISO 14021 terms
Feedstock described as PIR or PCR using the definitions of ISO 14021.
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RoHS and REACH
RoHS and REACH declarations, as for our virgin grades.
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Certification support
We support your recycled-content documentation and can work to the certification scheme your programme requires.
Carbon data
Industry estimates only: a CO2e figure for your part has to be recalculated with your part data under ISO 14067.
The rules that favour PCR
The EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation, in force since 13 August 2026, requires 15% recycled plastic in newly type-approved vehicles from 2032 and 25% from 2036, with at least a fifth of it from end-of-life vehicles. That points to post-consumer material, not only industrial scrap.
In India, the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules set rising recycled-content shares for rigid packaging, and the End-of-Life Vehicle Rules 2025 put extended producer responsibility on vehicle makers from 1 April 2025. Japan's Plastic Resource Circulation Act (2022) pushes design for recycling and recycled content.
These summaries are context, not legal advice. Tell us the rule your programme answers to, and we will match the feedstock to it.
- EU: closed-loop share from end-of-life vehicles, proposed
- India: extended producer responsibility for vehicle makers from 1 April 2025
- India: rising recycled-content shares for rigid packaging
- Japan: design for recycling and recycled content
Related pages
- Recycled compounds: PIR and PCRHow we engineer and control recycled grades, and the rules driving demand.
- PIR compoundsPost-industrial recycled PP, TPO, PA6, PA66 and ABS, the first step for automotive parts.
- OSALENEPP compounds: impact-modified, talc, glass and glass plus mineral, the base for our rPP grades.
- Quality and testingOur laboratory, batch testing and a CoA with every lot.
- AutomotiveCompounds for under-hood, interior, exterior and EV parts.
- InfrastructureTwo plants, four twin-screw lines and an in-house laboratory.
PCR compounds: buyer questions
Is PCR harder to qualify than PIR?
It needs more control, because the feedstock has had a first life. That is why we start PCR on robust parts such as crates, dunnage and non-visible parts, and widen the scope as data builds.
How do you keep contamination out?
Source segregation, a contamination screen and FT-IR polymer identification on incoming feedstock, then ash, density and mechanical tests on every batch.
Can PCR grades meet VDA 270 odour limits?
We agree the VDA 270 limit per part and control odour at the source: feedstock selection, devolatilisation and odour absorbers where the part needs them. Where a limit is tight, PIR may be the better starting point, and we will say so.
Can you hold colour with PCR?
We measure delta E on every batch. PCR suits non-visible parts first; for semi-visible parts we agree the colour target and tolerance with you before trials.
Can you support recycled-content certification for our programme?
We support your recycled-content documentation and can work to the certification scheme your programme requires. Tell us the scheme at the RFQ stage so the feedstock and records are set up for it.
Do you offer rHDPE from PCR?
rHDPE from PCR for non-critical reservoirs and trims is a later phase. If you have a part in mind, send us the requirements.
Plan your PCR content with us
Tell us the part, the recycled share and the rule behind it, and we will propose the feedstock and a trial formulation.