SUSTAINABILITY
SECONDARY PLASTIC
Introduction
Plastic that has already served its first purpose
Plastic is one of the most widely used materials in modern society. Lightweight, durable, and versatile, it is found in everything from packaging and textiles to construction products. Yet those same qualities create a challenge. Plastic often remains technically useful long after its original application has ended. In Denmark alone, approximately 350,000 tonnes [1] [2] [3] of plastic waste are generated annually. While recycling rates continue to improve, more than half of Danish plastic waste is still incinerated for energy recovery. Across Europe, plastic waste volumes continue to grow, placing increasing pressure on collection, sorting, and recycling systems.
This is where a:gain works. We develop building products around recovered plastic resources, helping to reduce the need for virgin fossil-based raw materials while creating products with documented performance and a significantly lower CO₂e footprint.
Why plastic matters
Plastic is often discussed as a waste problem. But before it becomes waste, it is a material. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is one of the most widely used and recyclable plastic types in the world [4]. It is commonly used in packaging because it is lightweight, durable, and capable of retaining its properties through multiple processing cycles. Not all PET, however, finds its way back into high-value applications [5]. While bottle collection systems perform well in many countries, other post-consumer PET streams remain more difficult to recover efficiently. Collection systems, sorting infrastructure, contamination, and economics all influence whether the material remains in circulation or leaves the productive cycle. When post-consumer PET is not recovered, the material value is lost and demand for virgin fossil-based feedstock continues. Recovering PET and transforming it into durable building products extends the useful life of the material while reducing the need for new raw material production. This principle forms the foundation of Dybø.
The process
From post-consumer PET to building product
Unlike wood and glass, where a:gain works to keep materials as close to their original form as possible, PET requires reprocessing to become useful in a building context. The original packaging or consumer product has already fulfilled its purpose. The question is what happens to the material next. The recovered PET is sorted, cleaned, and processed into pellets before being transformed into fibres. These fibres are then heat-pressed into a stable and durable acoustic material suitable for professional construction applications. The original form is lost during this process, but the material itself remains in use. By recovering and transforming existing PET rather than relying entirely on virgin raw materials, the environmental impact associated with primary material production can be reduced while extending the useful life of the resource. The production process is designed to minimise waste, with manufacturing off-cuts recirculated back into production wherever possible.
What it becomes
The recovered PET becomes Dybø: an acoustic batt developed for professional interior construction.
Produced in Sweden and containing between 50 or 75% recycled post-consumer PET, Dybø combines documented acoustic performance with a significantly lower environmental footprint than conventional alternatives. The product is supported by a verified EPD, is EU Taxonomy compliant, and can be incorporated directly into building LCAs, DGNB submissions, and sustainability reporting. The environmental impact is fully documented through the EPD and supporting product documentation available in the download centre.
What the numbers show
Recovering plastic is not just a material story. It delivers measurable results
Dybø is made from 50-75% recycled post-consumer PET
Reduction in CO₂e compared to similar products
Waste saved per m²
CO₂e per m²
*CO₂e footprint is based on Dybø EPD including phases A1–A3 and C1–C4. Phase B and D excluded. Comparison is based on average available EPD data on virgin glass wool acoustic batts as of June 2025. Declared unit for all compared EPDs: 1 m² acoustic batt, Sound classification A (directly mounted). For more info, confer ‘Explainer_Dybø_EPD_Comparison’ in our download centre.
For architects, developers, and contractors, these reductions are fully documented through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and can be incorporated directly into building LCAs, DGNB submissions, and sustainability reporting. The exact reduction depends on the product being compared and the project context. The principle remains the same: recovering existing material resources reduces the need for virgin fossil-based raw materials and keeps valuable materials in productive use for longer.
Recovery at end of life
PET is one of the world's most widely recycled polymers and retains recovery potential beyond its use in buildings
At end of life, Dybø can re-enter recycling streams or be returned through a:gains's take-back system, allowing the material to continue serving new purposes beyond its current application. The goal is simple: keep valuable material resources in productive use for as long as possible before additional processing becomes necessary.
Learn about our wood streams
Learn about our glass streams
