Article by Adam Duckett UNILEVER, Croda and Crown Paints have joined a taskforce convened by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) to help recycle polymers in liquid formulations (PLFs) – a waste stream measured in millions of tonnes. PLFs are used as thickeners, emulsifiers and coatings and have a wide range of applications including ingredients in household cleaning and personal care products to industrial applications including lubricants and wastewater treatment. They also include a wide range of polymer types within the categories of acrylic, epoxy resins, polyesters, polysilicones, and polyurethanes. The RSC says there are few ways to recycle PLFs and more than 36m t/y are not recovered.