Creating Artificial Turf (AT) Yarns with New Recycling Technologies for Circular Economy

Descripción del proyecto

Un proceso holístico de reciclaje del césped sintético

El césped artificial puede ser tan verde como el real, pero definitivamente no tan sostenible, ya que no puede reciclarse completamente. El proyecto CREATE, financiado con fondos europeos, ofrece un proceso sostenible, transparente y demostrado, en favor de una economía totalmente circular basada en el suprarreciclaje de cada componente del césped artificial. Mediante la combinación de tecnologías de vanguardia, los científicos del proyecto desarrollaron un proceso patentado innovador capaz de disolver el material plástico limpio de alta calidad en una nueva resina. Con este método se espera generar nuevos hilos de césped de calidad similar a los originales y reducir considerablemente tanto los residuos producidos por el proceso y como la huella ambiental del césped artificial.

Objetivo

Re-Match was founded with the ambition of setting the new global standard in recycling artificial turf (AT), while protecting the environment. We aim to develop a sustainable, transparent, proven solution, promoting a full circular economy based on the upcycling of every AT component. To achieve a complete, cycle of used ATs, Re-Match has developed a ground-breaking patented process combining state-of-the-art technologies, adding the missing link to complete the upcycling of the plastic component. Re-Match is already capable of separating used ATs into sand, rubber and plastic (the first two efficiently recycled). Now, by dissolving the high-quality clean plastic material into a new resin, we will generate new turf yarns of similar quality to the originals, to be applied into new ATs, significantly reducing the waste derived from ATs and decreasing their environmental footprint. The process offers a cradle-to-cradle solution and a fully circular economy model for every AT component. Over 5 years, our resin has the potential to cumulatively save 450,000 tons of CO2e due to recyling of plastic fibres which have traditionally been difficult to be disposed off. As the AT demand and disposal has steadily increased following an annual growth of 16.6% between 2015 and 2017, and the sports segment is the most sought after, Re-Match aims to capture the new trends related to green and sustainable processes. As the team has grown, we have strengthened the process development and initiated the setup manufacturing capabilities, achieving important technological and commercial milestones. This project, aligned with our company strategy, will in a 5-year term allow the expansion of the full business, accumulating profits of €20M and creation of additional 22 FTEs exclusively from the EIC Accelerator project. In the long term, Re-Match will target the delivery of the plastic components also to other applications, establishing a new standard for plastic use and end-purpose.