In collaboration with ChileGlobal Ventures, the venture capital arm of Fundación Chile, Henkel Chile has launched the global Seal the Cycle initiative to find technological solutions for plastic waste. The goal of the initiative is innovation in separating high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from silicone waste to enable the recycling of cartridges that cannot currently be reprocessed. With Seal the Cycle, Henkel is calling on startups, SMEs, large companies, and research centers around the world to technologically solve the challenge of separating plastic from silicone waste.

“To further drive a circular economy, we need to find suitable solutions for cartridges that still cannot be included into the recycling process,” said Roberto Pavez, regional development manager for Latin America at Henkel. “The problem with these plastic packaging is the existence of silicone residues in the used cartridges which cannot be separated with the usual methods of the recyclers today. At Henkel, we are deeply committed to find solutions to eliminate plastic waste. For this reason, we initiated Seal the Cycle as a concrete action to find ways to change the packaging life cycle of cartridges with a positive impact on the environment.”

Seal the Cycle received 13 applications from November 3-December 12, 2021. The winning project will be awarded €20,000 (approximately $22,500) and will become part of a pilot project with Henkel in Chile that will work to scale-up the solution to the global silicone sealants market. Applications are being reviewed by experts from Henkel and the ChileGlobal Ventures Search and Selection team; the winner will be announced in February 2022.

“Promoting the transformation of the world towards a more sustainable development and seeking new ways for growth that help protecting our ecosystem while responding to the global climate change is a key imperative today,” said Andrés Mitnik, corporate venturing director of ChileGlobal Ventures. “More and more companies around the world have realized that future growth will always depend on sustainability and the protection of the environment. Thus, we are pleased to collaborate with Henkel as global leader in the adhesives, sealants and functional coatings markets in the Seal the Cycle initiative.”

Follow the project’s progress at www.sealthecycle.com. 

Note: Image courtesy of Henkel.