Project description
Innovative recyclable elastomeric polymers from post-consumer waste recycling
The application of thermoplastic elastomers in several industrial sectors – from automotive and medical to construction and warehousing – is hindered by recyclability challenges. The EU-funded REPurpose project will upcycle local, post-consumer waste to new functional recyclable elastomeric polymers (REP) targeting the high-value market of thermoplastic elastomers, with applications in the automotive sector, building and construction, and consumer goods. The project will integrate new building blocks derived from biomass or enzymatically degraded plastic and organic waste to deliver REPs with unique features, such as tuneable elastomeric properties without the need for additives, controllable degradation in different habitats, and unprecedented indefinite recycling. In addition, the REPs will be produced, processed and recycled on existing equipment avoiding CAPEX investments.
Objective
"In the REPurpose project, local, post-consumer waste is upcycled to new functional ""REP polymers"" targeting the high-value market of thermoplastic elastomers that nowadays encounter recycling problems. New building blocks derived from biomass or enzymatically degraded polyolefin or paper and cardboard waste will be incorporated giving the REP polymers unique features: i) tuneable elastomeric properties avoiding the need for additives, ii) production, processing and recycling on existing equipment thus avoiding the need for huge CAPEX investments, iii) controllable degradation in different habitats, and iv) unprecedented indefinite recycling, outcompeting fossil carbon with every recycling step. REPurpose’s X-factor hence lies in the non-fossil content steering REP to higher value than the original plastic waste fractions: the first biodegradable and recyclable elastomeric polycondensates in the world. Combining the functional strength with the leverage in ecology in higher-end applications, will create a considerable market traction when good marketing, production and servicing are surrounding this innovative REPurpose platform.
To enable this development, the REPurpose consortium is spanning the value chain from i) waste handler, recyclers and regulatory framework advocates over ii) specialty bio- or waste-based building block producers, iii) technology developers for REP polymerisation, processing and detection, to iv) end users for consumer goods, automotive and building and construction, all advised by experts in safety- and sustainability-by-design, life cycle assessment, business modelling and Responsible Research and Innovation. Four universities and research centres, a non-profit organisation, six SMEs (including two start-ups) from seven EU countries and the UK address the research challenges and pave the way for bringing the innovation to the broad public and creating a resilient and sustainable European plastics industry."
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.4 - Digital, Industry and Space
MAIN PROGRAMME
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HORIZON.2.4.4 - Advanced Materials
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
9042 DESTELDONK GENT
Belgium
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.