Global electronics recycling and IT asset disposition (ITAD) specialist SK Tes has released its latest sustainability report, revealing that it landfilled only 1% of the plastics and none of the metals it processed over the previous year. The Singapore-headquartered firm, which operates facilities globally, attributed this high diversion rate to improved sorting technologies and stronger downstream processing partnerships.
This achievement demonstrates that near-total diversion of complex engineering plastics is commercially and technically viable. As electronic waste (e-waste) continues to be one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally, the recovery of technical polymers—such as ABS, polycarbonate, and polystyrene—is becoming a critical focus for the circular economy. For the wider recycling sector, SK Tes's performance raises the bar for what industrial-scale plastic processors are expected to divert from landfill.
For UK waste managers and Turkish recyclers, this milestone underscores the shifting expectations around Scope 3 emissions and supply chain transparency. Under increasingly strict UK and EU environmental reporting frameworks, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), manufacturers are demanding granular, verifiable data on the fate of their post-industrial and post-consumer plastics. Turkish recyclers importing technical plastic scrap must prepare for audits demanding proof of high recovery rates, whilst UK exporters must ensure their downstream partners can match these rigorous diversion standards to remain competitive.
A key practical takeaway for operators is the need to review material tracking systems and downstream auditing processes. To secure premium contracts with multinational original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), processors must move beyond basic recycling claims and invest in third-party verified data that proves near-zero landfill outcomes for all handled polymer fractions.
