Prysmian Partners with KPN on Recycled Plastic Cable Network
Prysmian Group has launched a pilot project with Dutch telecommunications operator KPN to deploy a fiber optic network using recycled plastic cable. Importantly, the cable contains 90% recycled material. As a result, KPN becomes the first European telecom company to install customer connections using Prysmian’s sustainable recycled plastic cable technology.
Recycled Plastic Cable Design Reduces Material Use
The project uses Prysmian’s Sirocco HD 96f cable and thinner Easenet tubes. Both products were introduced earlier this year. Specifically, the new recycled plastic cable design features a 4.5-mm diameter cable in a 10-mm sleeve. In contrast, conventional cables measure 6 mm in 14-mm sleeves.
This advancement delivers approximately 50% reduction in plastic volume. Additionally, smaller diameters allow manufacturers to supply greater cable lengths on a single reel. Consequently, this cuts costs for transport, storage, and packaging.
For more information on Prysmian’s sustainable solutions, visit https://www.prysmian.com
Pilot Projects in the Netherlands
Prysmian and KPN will test the recycled plastic cable system in two Dutch locations. These include Buitenpost (Friesland) and Nijmegen. Furthermore, the teams expect additional benefits during installation. For instance, reduced excavation at network concentration points minimizes soil removal and processing requirements.
Environmental Benefits of Recycled Plastic Cable
Toni Bosch, Vice President at Prysmian Group, emphasized the company’s commitment to developing innovative broadband networks. Notably, he explained that the solution enables smaller trenches for new installations. Therefore, it lowers both installation costs and raw material consumption while reducing the environmental footprint.
The new cables and tubes require about half the plastic or polyethylene (PE) of conventional systems. Moreover, the recycled plastic cable offers an indirect environmental advantage. Specifically, manufacturers produce over 90% of the tubes using high-quality recycled PE.
This immediately reduces carbon emissions. Additionally, it minimizes end-of-life waste. Beyond this, Prysmian expects further carbon reductions through savings on logistics, storage, and packaging materials. The company will evaluate these benefits in real-world testing for KPN.
For updates on KPN’s network infrastructure, visit https://www.kpn.com
