Challenge us: realising 100% circular plastics
From 8-15 October 2025, major players in the plastics ecosystem will gather at K – the world’s #1 trade fair for plastics and rubber. Together, participants aim to solve the biggest challenges in plastics today. Including making all plastics 100% circular. It’s no easy task, but it’s a challenge TNO is eager to tackle with you! Meet us at the fair to discuss your plastic design, production, and recycling challenges, and we’ll be ready to work towards the solution.
Join us at K 2025 from 8-15 October
Your challenge is our inspiration. The more complex the challenge, the better. Visit us at K and we’ll show you how to navigate towards solutions that lead to 100% circular plastics of the highest quality.
Share your challenges with us at K, Hall 7, Booth SC-10 or contact us to learn more today.
Join our events during K Fair
📍 Thursday, 9 October | 14:30–16:00
đź“Ś Start: Plastics Europe space (Hall 6, Booth C40)
More information and registration for this tour.
Join us for an expert-led walking tour at K Fair exploring the future of automotive plastic circularity. Starting at the Plastics Europe space, we’ll visit four key players — Syensqo, SABIC, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, and TNO — each showcasing cutting-edge approaches to recycling different plastic components from end-of-life vehicles.
📍 Monday 13 October | 10:00–11:00
đź“Ś TNO side stand Science campus: Hall 7, Booth SC-01
Hosted by: Milad Golkaram
RecyQMeter is a new tool developed by TNO and the University of Maastricht to objectively assess the quality of recycled plastics and match them to suitable applications. Using a unique application-property matrix and a large dataset, it helps recyclers position their materials in the right market and supports life cycle assessments. This tool accelerates circularity in the plastics sector by offering transparent, data-driven insights — fast, reliable, and ready for impact.
📍 Monday 13 October | 14:00–15:00 and Tuesday 14 October | 10:00 – 11:00
đź“Ś TNO side stand Science campus: Hall 7, Booth SC-01
Hosted by: Tim Bulters
More information about system modelling
In a brief workshop, TNO will show some of their system modelling results. One of the projects that is highlighted focuses on the strategies that can be applied to plastic waste products, including the higher R-strategies.
Are you curious about the systemic developments in your field! Come and discuss with us!
📍 Tuesday 14 October | 12:00 – 13:00
đź“Ś TNO side stand Science campus: Hall 7, Booth SC-01
Hosted by: Golkaram
More information about Polyscout
Polyscout is a Polymer Informatics platform developed by TNO to accelerate the design of safe and sustainable polymers. By combining AI, machine learning, and advanced data pipelines, it enables fast prediction of polymer properties and supports the development of fossil-free materials. Polyscout helps researchers and industry make smarter, faster decisions — paving the way for a circular and climate-resilient future.
Challenges in plastic supply chains
Regardless of where your business is positioned within the plastics value chain, it is clear that significant challenges and demands are present. From meeting ever-growing regulations to maintaining product quality. From safety to scalability to sustainability. There are many different (and sometimes conflicting) challenges to circular plastic production. And the application of each type of plastic – whether for packaging, toys or textiles, sports gear or automotive components – brings its own complexity.
TNO believes that every challenge is an opportunity to make a lasting impact. And every solution is another step towards our ultimate goal: a world in which all plastics are 100% circular.
Steps towards circular plastic solutions
Given the number and variety of challenges that must be addressed, it can be difficult to know where to focus attention, or even what solutions are available. TNO applies its experience, expertise, and technology to bring the right parties together, develop innovative circular plastic solutions, and drive the market transition.
Meet us at the K fair to learn more about TNO and our capabilities. Present us the plastic challenge that you are facing. We will showcase three solutions for challenges that we are working on.
Our 3 circular solutions at K 2025:
1. Circular packaging
The requirements for effective packaging are extensive. It must protect the product, enable transport, extend shelf life, and communicate with consumers. To meet all these demands, packaging is often made up of multiple materials — which makes recycling a challenge. That’s why we focus on developing packaging solutions that not only offer protection and sealability, but are also designed with recyclability in mind.
2. Biobased materials
Aromatics are the building blocks of plastic materials and textiles. Yet the majority of them are fossil-based. TNO develops bio-aromatics from sustainable sources that don’t compete with food production and replace these fossil-based building blocks. While we can develop and deliver drop-in solutions, we encourage our partners to challenge us by aiming for near-drop-in solutions with even better performance.
3. Sustainable engineering plastics
Fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites (TPC) combine the strength of metal with the lightness of plastics. This is the perfect combination for applications ranging from automotive to furniture to sport and outdoor gear. We are developing innovative recycling methods and constructing supply chains that preserve fiber length and thus material strength and value, enabling high-quality application from recycled materials.
The TNO difference
TNO is an innovation leader in circular plastics. Our independent position enables us to objectively look for solutions with both market and societal relevance.
We aim for innovations that strengthen society, accelerate scaling, and build the earning power of industries. We offer multidisciplinary expertise to tackle specific aspects of development, and foster close relationships with our clients to develop innovations that meet the needs of the future.
An effective bridge between science and practice, our work extends far beyond research and investigation. We enable viable and sustainable solutions through cooperation, inclusion, and our international network of partners throughout the plastics ecosystem.
Contact us
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Marieke Havermans
Functie:Senior Business Developer, Circular Plastic PackagingMarieke is a packaging technologist with a passion for sustainability. With 20 years' experience in the industry, she understands the impact and associated challenges of the Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) for the industry. Her believe is that a successful transition is only possible through collaboration across the value chain.
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Standplaats:Geleen - Brightlands Materials Center
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Email:Email Marieke
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LinkedIn:Marieke on LinkedIn
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Nathan Bowden
Functie:Senior Business Development Manager, Biobased Materials and EU ManagerYou can contact me if you're interested in collaborating with TNO in the field of producing biobased chemicals for the materials industries. I connect governments and companies with our material chemistry teams and explore new international markets for TNO innovations in biobased materials.
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Standplaats:Rijswijk - Kesslerpark
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Email:Email Nathan
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LinkedIn:Nathan on LinkedIn
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Richard Janssen
Functie:Senior Business Development Manager, Sustainable Engineering PlasticsHaving gained valuable experience in international business as a Researcher, Business and Market Intelligence Specialist and New Business Development Manager, Richard currently works for the Sustainable Mobility program at Brightlands Materials Center. His areas of work include sustainable chemistry and polymers and, in particular, their applications. His heart lies in the commercially successful implementation of new sustainable technology and products.
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Standplaats:Geleen - Brightlands Materials Center
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Email:Email Richard
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LinkedIn:Richard on LinkedIn
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