Market leader emphatically opts for green

Meet the first connecting clamps made of recycled and biocircular plastic

Even the smallest components can make a difference. According to this belief, market leader in spring clamp connection technology WAGO is exploring opportunities to make its range of welding and connection clamps more sustainable and greener. A first step was recently taken with the introduction of the WAGO Green Range connecting clamps with levers, which are manufactured from 77% biocircular material and reduce CO2 emissions during production by as much as 87%.

Annual plastic production has doubled in the past 20 years. Every year we saddle our planet with some 300 million tons of plastic waste, according to figures from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). To turn this tide, everyone in the chain must do their part. WAGO is taking responsibility for this with the production of sustainable pluggable technologies that can be easily modified, disassembled and reused elsewhere. But also with a new line of green connection terminals, marketed under the name Green Range. 

Biocircular basis

"As an industrial manufacturing company, we consume a lot of energy and raw materials, such as plastics," says Martin Brouwer, welding and joining clamp expert at WAGO. "Conventional plastics consist of carbon compounds, which, among other things, are extracted from crude oil or natural gas - two non-regenerative substances that pollute our climate and environment during their extraction. To reduce this impact and thus the need for new plastics, we have preserved and greened one of our best-known products." The Green Range connecting clamps are made from biocircular material, which combines the principles of biobased and circular content, he says. "The raw materials consist largely of waste or residual material that is not disposed of in a landfill or burned in a waste-to-energy plant, but is instead reused, further utilized or recycled in a closed loop without disappearing from the economy. Examples include bio-based residues from industry and households and recycled plastics (post-consumer recyclate), with which we are making a significant contribution to reducing plastic waste."

Literally and figuratively green

The Green Range connecting clamps quite appropriately feature a green lever, made entirely from recycled content. "In more detail, at least 27% of the levers (PBT) consist of recycled PET bottles," Brewer said. "The housing is made from 77% biological residues such as tall oil, used grease and residues from the production of edible oils. These are processed into a high-quality polycarbonate using clever engineering processes, reducing the use of fossil resources. Without sacrificing trusted quality, certifications and performance, such as easy, fast and safe installation of solid, fine-strand and multi-strand conductors. During the production of our clamps, we emit up to 87% less CO2, making the WAGO Green Range a sustainable and green alternative to the well-known 221 Series connection clamps with levers."

Wrapped in grass paper

Following the link terminals, WAGO has also greened its packaging. The Green Range connector terminals with levers are packaged as standard in grass paper, which contains up to 30% of grass fibers and about 70% of recycled paper. "The production of grass paper produces 5.6% less CO2 emissions and 11% less water consumption than the production of pure recycled paper," Brouwer knows. "Moreover, it has 28% less impact on biodiversity because the grass fibers come from compensation areas for building or fallow agricultural land, which by law must be mowed several times a year anyway. Thus, in every area, we emphatically choose green."