A great collaboration

1 februari 2019

In the latest issue of Van Munster Recyclers’ magazine, Insight, you can read about how we are collectively working towards a new sustainable chemical sector.

The shared belief in the circular economy is what binds collaboration partners InterCheM and Van Munster Recyclers. The Beuningen-based chemical recycling and production company specializes in the collection and processing of predominantly hazardous waste, relieving our customers of their chemical waste streams. “We come together by combining our strengths for a circular economy,” says Erik Wegh, Commercial Director at InterCheM.

The fact that this company in the chemical sector is creating a circular economy is unique. At the InterCheM facility, not only is chemical waste, such as solvents, paints, and coatings, collected and processed in a responsible and safe manner, but there is also a laboratory where valuable raw materials are recovered from chemical waste using sustainable recycling techniques. These recovered materials are then used in the production of new products for the professional industry. This means that InterCheM is involved in the production process both as a producer and at the end as a collector.

Sustainable distillation
“We are able to reintroduce products made from recovered waste materials into the market,” Erik Wegh proudly explains. One of the sustainable recycling techniques that InterCheM uses to make chemical waste suitable for reuse is distillation. Erik explains that contaminated solvents and paint residues can be filtered by evaporating and capturing the clean raw materials through distillation.

These distilled chemical waste materials can be used as secondary raw materials for the development of new high-quality applications without compromising the quality of the products. At the InterCheM facility, a wide range of sustainable products and paints, such as recycled solvents, cleaners, and thinners, are developed in collaboration with sister company Inter-GreeN. Erik says, “The beauty of all this is that we create a circular economy at the customer level; we collect, recycle, and deliver the products back.”

Circular economy as added value
For Van Munster Recyclers, InterCheM serves as a knowledge partner and point of contact for the collection and processing of chemical waste. “We provide Van Munster Recyclers with peace of mind in this specific area with our specialized knowledge and services, and we align with our shared values for a sustainable future. The fact that we are pursuing a circular economy together is a valuable addition for our customers.”