Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CIRCULAR FOAM (Systemic expansion of territorial CIRCULAR Ecosystems for end-of-life FOAM)
Reporting period: 2021-10-01 to 2023-03-31
The promotion and implementation of a well-functioning, efficient, sustainable systemic solutions based on circular value chains involving all relevant stakeholders is a promising approach to a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The transformation requires:
• the implementation of resource-efficient recycling technologies to eliminate waste and gain alternative feedstock for the process industry, thus saving fossil resources, supported by digital solutions and, in the near future, strengthened by the availability of green energy; for the development of these technologies the process industries and manufacturers and waste collection and treatment enterprises and technology experts must cooperate to realize sustainable- and economically-viable systemic solutions.
• an innovative CO2-neutral circular logistics system sustainably providing regional flows of resources with seamless interfaces between industrial processes and private- and public-actors.
• the implementation of the technologies in territorial eco-systemic solutions, where industrial parks and/or communities symbiotically coexist with urban areas.
• increasing awareness and involvement of and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, via interaction with public authorities, citizens and their associations, local enterprises such as construction and logistic service companies, and large industry.
CIRCULAR FOAM will demonstrate of a territorial cross-sectorial, large-scale and sustainable systemic solution for the circularity of high-performance plastics for an important, and until now, not adequately recycled waste stream coming from rigid polyurethane (PU) foams used as insulation material in refrigerators and in construction elements.
The blueprint will involve multiple actors from the public-, private-, academic-, and financial-sectors and civil society. We will implement it North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany , replicate to Silesia, Poland and the Greater Amsterdam Region, Netherlands, and make recommendations for further replication in Europe.
• the implementation of resource-efficient recycling technologies to eliminate waste and gain alternative feedstock for the process industry, thus saving fossil resources, supported by digital solutions and, in the near future, strengthened by the availability of green energy; for the development of these technologies the process industries and manufacturers and waste collection and treatment enterprises and technology experts must cooperate to realize sustainable- and economically-viable systemic solutions.
• an innovative CO2-neutral circular logistics system sustainably providing regional flows of resources with seamless interfaces between industrial processes and private- and public-actors.
• the implementation of the technologies in territorial eco-systemic solutions, where industrial parks and/or communities symbiotically coexist with urban areas.
• increasing awareness and involvement of and collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, via interaction with public authorities, citizens and their associations, local enterprises such as construction and logistic service companies, and large industry.
CIRCULAR FOAM will demonstrate of a territorial cross-sectorial, large-scale and sustainable systemic solution for the circularity of high-performance plastics for an important, and until now, not adequately recycled waste stream coming from rigid polyurethane (PU) foams used as insulation material in refrigerators and in construction elements.
The blueprint will involve multiple actors from the public-, private-, academic-, and financial-sectors and civil society. We will implement it North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany , replicate to Silesia, Poland and the Greater Amsterdam Region, Netherlands, and make recommendations for further replication in Europe.
In the area of regional transformation, the political, societal and economic conditions were assessed that support or hamper the introduction of PU rigid foam circular value chain and its potential for the implementation in three EU pilot regions: Rheinisches Revier in Germany, Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (AMA) in the Netherlands, and Upper Silesia / Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia (GZM), Poland. We started with a status quo analysis focusing on assessing the regional circularity readiness and an identification of key stakeholders. The readiness in the regions is diverse. Whereas the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area is vividly pursuing their target of becoming fully circular by 2050 and is already listed as one of the model cities, they are not yet looking specifically at the recycling of PU foams. The German Rheinisches Revier already unites all the important preconditions for circularity, however, it still lacks a clear political circularity agenda and the public awareness of chemical recycling and PU foams is rather low. Finally, Upper Silesia was found to have adequate potential as well as key actors and convenient infrastructure in the region, nevertheless, leaders with clear determination on the administrative level as well as appropriate financial incentives are missing. Whereas the concept of circularity as such is well known, there is different understanding of circular economy and the potential of chemical recycling is totally unknown. The following indicators were found to be of highest importance : alliance of change with clear agents, binding policy goals, public mindset in regions and culture and direction of innovation.
Further, the consortium was working on setting design guidelines around the material and products that will enhance and facilitate the recycling. It involves the development of digital product passport. The goals are also to improve the material and product design for easy dismantling of the appliances and insulation boards to allow for their increased recyclability.
Major work was done on the chemical recycling of PU rigid foams using two chemical recycling technologies, chemolysis and smart pyrolysis. In both routes amine precursors to isocyanate have been obtained, which is novel for PU rigid foam recycling, for which the focus is usually on the generation of a re-polyol rather than closed-loop recycling to both polyol and amine.
To satisfy the systemic approach, ensure both economic and environmental feasibility, collection, sorting, dismantling and processing systems, as well as products, must be designed for maximum overall efficiency throughout the whole waste utilization system, meaning that the materials should be recovered and reused at the highest possible value and with the least input of resources. Establishing a circular value-chain for end-of-life PU requires participation of various stakeholders, development of technologies, and even changing the consumer behaviour; therefore, it is a complex task. Therefore, we model, analyze and optimize the overall system for the upcycling of polyurethane containing waste.
Special attention is also given to the maximization of the impact through dissemination, exploitation and result protection activities.
Further, the consortium was working on setting design guidelines around the material and products that will enhance and facilitate the recycling. It involves the development of digital product passport. The goals are also to improve the material and product design for easy dismantling of the appliances and insulation boards to allow for their increased recyclability.
Major work was done on the chemical recycling of PU rigid foams using two chemical recycling technologies, chemolysis and smart pyrolysis. In both routes amine precursors to isocyanate have been obtained, which is novel for PU rigid foam recycling, for which the focus is usually on the generation of a re-polyol rather than closed-loop recycling to both polyol and amine.
To satisfy the systemic approach, ensure both economic and environmental feasibility, collection, sorting, dismantling and processing systems, as well as products, must be designed for maximum overall efficiency throughout the whole waste utilization system, meaning that the materials should be recovered and reused at the highest possible value and with the least input of resources. Establishing a circular value-chain for end-of-life PU requires participation of various stakeholders, development of technologies, and even changing the consumer behaviour; therefore, it is a complex task. Therefore, we model, analyze and optimize the overall system for the upcycling of polyurethane containing waste.
Special attention is also given to the maximization of the impact through dissemination, exploitation and result protection activities.
The CIRCULAR FOAM will allow the recovery of raw materials via their intermediates, leading to a quality equivalent to that of fossil-based materials currently used to produce PU foams. Thus, it will be possible to produce high-performance plastics without crude oil and at the same time eliminate waste, reduce CO2 emissions.
CIRCULAR FOAM will improve the sustainability and circularity of clusters’ economic sectors, natural ecosystems, management and valorisation of local resources; creation of jobs in the short to medium term produce a blueprint for a participative governance for involving stakeholders in the regions. We will demonstrate and integrate all technological elements of the full value chain into one system together with waste collection and sorting and corresponding logistics scenarios, so that they can be applied to the regions and contribute to reduction of waste, saving limited resources, providing industry with “renewable” resources for the production of high quality consumer products, thus, converting waste into a valuable resource. Innovative value chains will help to keep and create future-oriented jobs in the region and create markets for new services.
The output of the project will reduce primary resource consumption by the construction and electrical appliance industries. Placing high performing, circular insulation products on the market will strengthen the competitiveness of the European building materials and appliance industries and enable these industries to become leaders in innovation and sustainable development.
It was calculated that, in 2040 about 600.000t of PU rigid foam waste could be recycled in Europe from appliance units and construction waste to high-value molecules that would otherwise be burned or end up in landfill. This is equivalent to a reduction in CO2 emissions compared to incineration of about 1.7 million tons/a.
CIRCULAR FOAM will help to create a new market for high-quality post-consumer PU.
CIRCULAR FOAM will improve the sustainability and circularity of clusters’ economic sectors, natural ecosystems, management and valorisation of local resources; creation of jobs in the short to medium term produce a blueprint for a participative governance for involving stakeholders in the regions. We will demonstrate and integrate all technological elements of the full value chain into one system together with waste collection and sorting and corresponding logistics scenarios, so that they can be applied to the regions and contribute to reduction of waste, saving limited resources, providing industry with “renewable” resources for the production of high quality consumer products, thus, converting waste into a valuable resource. Innovative value chains will help to keep and create future-oriented jobs in the region and create markets for new services.
The output of the project will reduce primary resource consumption by the construction and electrical appliance industries. Placing high performing, circular insulation products on the market will strengthen the competitiveness of the European building materials and appliance industries and enable these industries to become leaders in innovation and sustainable development.
It was calculated that, in 2040 about 600.000t of PU rigid foam waste could be recycled in Europe from appliance units and construction waste to high-value molecules that would otherwise be burned or end up in landfill. This is equivalent to a reduction in CO2 emissions compared to incineration of about 1.7 million tons/a.
CIRCULAR FOAM will help to create a new market for high-quality post-consumer PU.