During the EGREMPLARE project the mail goal for TUSTI was building a demonstrator plastic recycling factory. In this patented process, all major types of plastic that are present in European plastic waste can be separated and cleaned. This project consists of three consecutive phases. First, pilot testing (WP2), followed by building and installing the machines accordingly (WP3). In the next phase, the plastic that is produced is tested externally by our customers (WP4). During these three phases, project management is executed (WP1) and a strategy is designed to spread the TUSTI technology over Europe (WP5).
During the first part of the project pilot tests were performed. TUSTI has analysed industrial samples from five different suppliers from three different European countries (The Netherlands, Germany and France). These samples were processed using the TUSTI patented EGREMPLARE technology and have been analysed afterwards. The results are very promising: sellable, high quality circular resources have been produced from plastic waste. Using the results, design for the industrial scale plastic recycling factory was created.
To establish this demonstrating recycling factory a very good location was found. The construction of the building was finished in June 2022, and the setup of the processing line could start.
It became clear that there are shortages in raw materials (such as steel and copper) and the electronics required to operate the necessary machines. Therefore, it was decided that the demonstration facility would be built in two phases. During phase 1, only the machines that are necessary to process polyolefinic plastic packaging were ordered and installed. Due to the density of polyolefins being lower than 1 kg/m3, they float in water. After treatment in the TUSTI recycling line, the plastic waste is reduced in size, clean and dry and hence can be used directly in high-quality applications. In the second phase, which was started in 2023, the processing line was extended with equipment suitable for the processing of the materials that sink in water such as metals, stones, but also plastic types such as PET and PS. To minimize costs and be independent of external delivery times, existing machines have been adapted by the inhouse technical team to make them suitable for the processing of heavy materials.
Ultimately a processing line for the recycling of post-consumer household packaging was set up which is able to process 15.000 tons per year. This recycle line is able to process dirty mixed plastics into clean flakes which can be used to produce new products, without requiring high temperatures or harmful chemicals. Samples of the products were shared with potential customers for validation. They were able to process the material into various high-quality products like tubes, bottles or bottoms and tops of key kegs.
Communication activities resulted in a robust network with partners all over Europe. Sales conversations have taken place with a large number of customers, and long-term collaborations have been established. To create additional awareness and build a brand name for the EGREMPLARE technology and the produced end products, a new website was launched. Next to communication via the website there have been several publications on LinkedIn and in different media sources.
To facilitate upscaling of the EGREMPLARE process across Europe, the TUSTI technology has been patented and optimized. Together with LyondellBasell as a partner, the expansion of the EGREMPLARE technology to other recyclers in the network is discussed.
