Raise recycled plastics, drop GWP, no reformulation
If your product contains plastics, you can often cut cradle‑to‑gate GWP fast by increasing recycled content without touching the recipe. Procurement and QA tweaks beat a full R&D cycle, and the payoff shows up directly in Module A1 of your next EPD.
Why recycled content cuts GWP, not performance
Virgin resin carries the upstream extraction and cracking burden. Recycled resin keeps the same polymer chemistry, so performance can stay constant while upstream emissions drop. Under EN 15804+A2 rules, secondary material typically enters with no inherited burden, and you only count the recycling processes and transport.
The quick math for common polymers
EPA’s WARM v16 shows typical cradle‑to‑gate manufacturing emissions per kilogram: virgin PET about 2.44 kg CO2e versus recycled PET about 0.91 kg, virgin HDPE about 1.68 kg versus recycled HDPE about 0.54 kg, virgin PP about 1.70 kg versus recycled PP about 0.52 kg. That is a 60 to 70 percent cut at the resin level, depending on polymer and power mix (EPA WARM v16 plastics chapter, 2023) (EPA WARM, 2023).
A simple example makes it real. A 5 kg polypropylene part that moves from 0 to 30 percent rPP avoids roughly 1.8 kg CO2e in A1 alone, using the factors above.
How to raise recycled content without reformulation
Think of this as a feedstock switch, not a formula change. Keep the same grade specs, then source equivalent rPET, rHDPE, or rPP with matching MFI, impact and color limits. Blend post‑consumer and pre‑consumer streams to hit stability targets. Many teams do this with process tuning and incoming QA, so R&D time stays focused on new products rather than re‑approval of the existing one.
What your LCA reviewer will check
Your verifier wants three things: documented recycled content by supplier lot, the recycling process energy data or an accepted dataset, and clear allocation consistent with your PCR. For EN 15804 programs, secondary material typically uses the cut‑off approach, so benefits land in A1 while any end‑of‑life credits show in D. If you claim renewable electricity at the recycler, the program operator will expect evidence and consistent accounting. IBU’s 2024 PCR Part A update clarified renewable energy treatment, so align your evidence before submission (IBU PCR Part A update, 2024) (IBU, 2024).
Where this moves the dial most
High‑polymer products such as membranes, pipe, liners, trim, and accessory parts see the biggest drop because resin dominates A1. Multi‑material assemblies still benefit, but the gain scales with the plastic mass fraction. If your bill of materials is steel‑heavy, expect a smaller percent change.
Supply and quality guardrails
Lock grade‑equivalent specs in contracts, require third‑party content certificates for PCR percentages, and pilot at 10 to 30 percent before stepping up. Watch color drift, odor, and gel count. Keep a dual‑sourcing path so line uptime is never at risk. This is practical stuff, not a moonshot.
Convert carbon cuts into commercial wins
Lower A1 GWP strengthens your next product‑specific EPD and removes a penalty in carbon‑screened specs, so your product is easier to keep on submittals without price‑only arguments. City and state buyers are still tightening embodied‑carbon expectations, and private owners are doing Scope 3 math of their own. Circularity moves are increasingly visible to procurement teams, not just sustainability leads.
Bonus: circularity momentum is real
Independent of policy shifts, circularity keeps climbing. EU analysis finds circular economy measures across heavy industry, including plastics, could abate roughly 189 to 231 million tonnes CO2e per year at scale, showing clear headroom for recycled feedstocks to deliver more savings (JRC, 2025) (JRC, 2025).
Start tomorrow: a simple plan
- Identify the polymer with the largest mass share in your product and pull the exact grade specs you already use.
- Qualify two recycled suppliers that meet those specs, request monthly content attestations, and collect their energy data or acceptable datasets for your LCA model.
- Pilot a conservative blend, update your BOM and QA plan, then refresh the EPD with verified recycled content. You get measurable GWP reduction without a formulation rewrite. It is not glamorus, but it works.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can GWP drop when switching from virgin to recycled PET, HDPE, or PP without reformulation?
EPA WARM v16 indicates approximate cradle‑to‑gate manufacturing emissions of 2.44 kg CO2e/kg for virgin PET vs 0.91 for recycled PET, 1.68 vs 0.54 for HDPE, and 1.70 vs 0.52 for PP. That is roughly a 60 to 70 percent reduction at the resin level, before transport and other materials are considered (EPA WARM v16 plastics chapter, 2023) (EPA WARM, 2023).
Will I need to change my formulation to add recycled content?
Often no. If you keep the polymer family and key properties constant, you can treat it as a feedstock change with process tuning and QA. Verify performance and color, pilot at modest blends, then scale. This lets you update the EPD without a long reformulation cycle.
What proof do LCA verifiers expect for recycled content claims?
Supplier content attestations by lot, recycling process energy and transport data, and allocation consistent with your PCR. For EN 15804 programs, recyclate usually enters with no inherited burden and only the recycling process is counted in A1. Renewable energy claims must be evidenced and consistently applied. IBU clarified renewable energy accounting in 2024 (IBU PCR Part A update, 2024) (IBU, 2024).
Does this help with specs and sales?
Yes. A lower A1 GWP strengthens your product‑specific EPD and makes carbon‑screened projects easier to win without competing only on price. Many owners still apply embodied‑carbon screens even as federal incentives shift.
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
