Flame-retardant polypropylene offers safer alternative for battery housings

Ecobat's proprietary Seculene line of recycled polypropylene (PP) compound was named as a finalist in the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe (PRAE). This recognition marks a major milestone for Seculene, affirming its role as a solution in the circular economy and in advanced polymer engineering. 

Developed in-house by Ecobat and produced entirely from 100 percent post-consumer waste, Seculene represents a leap forward in recycled plastic technology. With over a decade of expertise behind its development, Seculene has been engineered to rival, and in many cases exceed, the performance of virgin polypropylene — delivering both environmental and functional use across demanding industrial applications.

Flame-retardant innovations

At the heart of Seculene's PRAE recognition is its flame-retardant variant — a recycled polypropylene compound certified to UL 94 V0 (Yellow Card) standards. In fire exposure scenarios, this grade forms a protective foam layer that insulates and protects internal components, making it ideal for high-risk environments such as e-bike battery housings and electrical enclosures.

Automotive-grade materials

Also, Ecobat recently secured DBL 1000 approval for its glass-fiber-reinforced Seculene (with 35 percent glass fiber content), certifying the compound for automotive interior use. A leading German automotive supplier has already adopted this grade for precision control unit housings.

This recognition underscores the growing demand for high-performance, sustainable alternatives in the automotive sector, where lightweighting, durability, and environmental accountability are increasingly essential.

Built for versatility and circularity

Seculene is available in over 30 specialized grades tailored to a wide range of use cases — from UV-stabilized components for outdoor applications to mineral-filled variants designed for increased rigidity. Engineered for injection molding, extrusion, and other processing techniques, Seculene enables simple integration into modern manufacturing environments.

Use cases span automotive parts (wheel arch liners, cable conduits), electrical components, industrial systems, and consumer goods. 

Every Seculene batch is manufactured at Ecobat's recycling facilities, where closed-loop systems minimize waste and reduce energy use. These plants employ rigorous sorting, cleaning, and compounding processes to ensure material purity, consistent melt flow rates, and mechanical properties that meet or exceed industry benchmarks.

Driving toward a sustianable future

The recognition by PRAE highlights Ecobat's broader mission to lead the global transition to a circular economy. By replacing virgin polymers with 100 percent recycled alternatives, Seculene significantly reduces the environmental footprint of plastic-intensive industries while enabling compliance with rising regulatory and sustainability demands.

"Our Seculene polypropylene, derived entirely from post-consumer recycled materials, is a high-quality alternative to virgin polymers," said Erich Esser, vice president of global polypropylene and managing director for Ecobat Resources Germany/Austria. "This achievement reflects years of investment in innovation, resulting in materials that meet the highest industry standards for safety, reliability, and sustainability. Our flame-retardant grades, in particular, represent a new frontier in circular materials technology."