Development of Recycling Strategies for Medical HIPS Toward a Circular Economy

This study explores the recycling potential of High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) used in medical packaging by examining its thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties. Recycled HIPS, derived from both post-industrial and post-consumer waste, shows performance comparable to virgin HIPS with only minor differences in thermal stability, glass transition temperature, and mechanical properties. Although post-consumer HIPS exhibits a lower melt flow rate, likely due to a higher molecular weight, its processing remains within acceptable limits. Overall, the results confirm the feasibility of mechanically recycling HIPS waste for healthcare packaging, while future research will address contamination risks and the effects of multiple recycling cycles.