Periodic Reporting for period 1 - WHITECYCLE (UPSCALING OF INNOVATIVE PROCESSES FOR THE RECYCLING OF PET FROM COMPLEX WASTES: A CASE STUDY INVOLVING MECHANICAL AND ENZYMATIC SORTING APPLIED TO TYRES, TEXTILES AND HOSES)
Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-12-31
WhiteCycle was born to address this main problematic under the use case of PET, third most used polymer in the world with more than 82 Mt produced in 2019 worldwide and used in various applications such as packaging and clothing for example.
The objective of WHITECYCLE is to overcome the barrier posed by feedstock complexity via a set of versatile, disruptive, and fully scalable technological processes capable of infinitely retrieving and recycling PET, even from complex mixed waste to yield pure, industrially relevant monomer at any scale. WHITECYCLE includes a clear plan for replication of the technologies to be implemented at the industrial scale beyond the project, across a wide range of sectors implementing or manufacturing PET-containing products.
The main project outcomes will be:
• 3 industrially viable circular value chains from bin to highly technical products namely tyres, lay-flat hoses, and multicomponent textiles.
• Comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis, Life Cycle Cost, social acceptability studies and FAIR data for each of the 3 use-cases
• Agreements for upscaling and implementation from 12 brand-owners, 3 PET manufacturers and 3 waste managers / recycling equipment manufacturers
More generally we have for objectives to tackle carbon emissions and pollution due to landfilling and incineration and micro-plastic dissemination we hope to avoid 2.06 Mt CO2eq emissions and 1.80 Mt PET landfilling. We aim to contribute and create at our scale a prosperous, sustainable, and vibrant EU circular economy paving the way to meet 2025 and 2030 EU targets and to set more stringent targets leading up to 2050 for the full circularity of plastics and climate neutrality.
The objective of WHITECYCLE is to overcome the barrier posed by feedstock complexity via a set of versatile, disruptive, and fully scalable technological processes capable of infinitely retrieving and recycling PET, even from complex mixed waste to yield pure, industrially relevant monomer at any scale. WHITECYCLE includes a clear plan for replication of the technologies to be implemented at the industrial scale beyond the project, across a wide range of sectors implementing or manufacturing PET-containing products.
The main project outcomes will be:
• 3 industrially viable circular value chains from bin to highly technical products namely tyres, lay-flat hoses, and multicomponent textiles.
• Comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis, Life Cycle Cost, social acceptability studies and FAIR data for each of the 3 use-cases
• Agreements for upscaling and implementation from 12 brand-owners, 3 PET manufacturers and 3 waste managers / recycling equipment manufacturers
More generally we have for objectives to tackle carbon emissions and pollution due to landfilling and incineration and micro-plastic dissemination we hope to avoid 2.06 Mt CO2eq emissions and 1.80 Mt PET landfilling. We aim to contribute and create at our scale a prosperous, sustainable, and vibrant EU circular economy paving the way to meet 2025 and 2030 EU targets and to set more stringent targets leading up to 2050 for the full circularity of plastics and climate neutrality.
During RP1, the project has made significant strides in several key areas. Firstly, our focus was on macro-sorting identification, aimed at discerning the presence of PET within streams of clothing, tires, and hoses (WP1). Through comprehensive research, we explored various technologies for PET detection. The development of a real-time monitoring system marked a major achievement, enabling us to pinpoint garments containing PET successfully, even in multilayers ones. Initial trials yielded encouraging results, setting the stage for further advancement in the next phase of the project as we aim to scale up this technology from TRL 5 to TRL 6-8. Additionally, we achieved TRL 5 for the shaping process. Concurrently, while directing our efforts towards the separation of fibers and matrices in tires and hoses, we pursued the upscaling of the electrostatic process (WP1). This process is essential for sorting fibers from rubber components. While significant progress has been made, further testing and refinement are still underway to optimize performance.
Our next crucial pre-treatment is Amorphization (WP2). This process is necessary for enzymatic depolymerization and restoration. To achieve it, we conducted numerous experiments to determine the most suitable thermal treatment technique, comparing plasma and thermal extrusion. Our findings overwhelmingly favored extrusion, as it proved more versatile and adaptable to different PET sources, particularly clothing and hoses and tires. This strategic choice enables us to process a significant volume of material, overcoming potential challenges associated with PET from tires.
The next phase in the PET recycling journey is enzymatic depolymerization (WP3). Here, we employed a specialized technique designed to address pollutants at a micro-scale with precision. First results obtained with PET from different complex feedstocks are very promising. While our endeavors were met with excitement, we encountered challenges in achieving the prepation of some specific ones and further investigations are imperative to guarantee the success of this crucial phase.
We then proceeded with the purification process by recomposing the material through a repolymerization process (WP4). Essentially, we reintegrate selected molecules to form the recycled PET. To initiate this process, we conducted initial trials using virgin-based monomers at a lab scale. Our preliminary findings revealed variations in the resulting products. Building upon these insights, we are adjusting our protocols and future PET chip production line accordingly.
As we endeavor to develop innovative solutions for sustainable waste management, conducting a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is essential (WP6). The LCA provides us with invaluable insights into the environmental footprint of our process, guiding us towards more informed decision-making. Moreover, we will also conduct a Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA). These assessments provide a comprehensive perspective on both the costs and social implications associated with the process throughout its entire life cycle. Over the past 18 months, we have initiated this step. By conducting a thorough LCA, LCC and SLCA, we are not only ensuring accountability and transparency but also driving meaningful progress towards sustainability and societal consideration in our operations.
Finally, to optimize the impact of the project results, comprehensive dissemination and communication activities have been undertaken during this initial phase (WP7). The consortium has actively contributed to the following key activities, ensuring that our project resonates far beyond its borders:
• Informing Stakeholders: Through extensive dissemination efforts, stakeholders are kept informed about our project's progress, goals, and achievements.
• Building Awareness: Our communication strategies aim to raise awareness about the importance and relevance of our project.
• Engaging Stakeholders: The WhiteCycle project hosted its first dissemination workshop on November 28th, 2023, at the Michelin R&D Center in Clermont-Ferrand, France, attracting over 90 participants including manufacturers, equipment suppliers in the recycling sector, institutions, and partners from other European projects.
• Fostering Collaboration and Networking: Strategic collaborations with organizations like Ecosystex, an EU project network dedicated to accelerating collaboration in the textile sustainability and circularity field, allow us to leverage synergies and pool resources, accelerating progress towards our shared objectives.
Our next crucial pre-treatment is Amorphization (WP2). This process is necessary for enzymatic depolymerization and restoration. To achieve it, we conducted numerous experiments to determine the most suitable thermal treatment technique, comparing plasma and thermal extrusion. Our findings overwhelmingly favored extrusion, as it proved more versatile and adaptable to different PET sources, particularly clothing and hoses and tires. This strategic choice enables us to process a significant volume of material, overcoming potential challenges associated with PET from tires.
The next phase in the PET recycling journey is enzymatic depolymerization (WP3). Here, we employed a specialized technique designed to address pollutants at a micro-scale with precision. First results obtained with PET from different complex feedstocks are very promising. While our endeavors were met with excitement, we encountered challenges in achieving the prepation of some specific ones and further investigations are imperative to guarantee the success of this crucial phase.
We then proceeded with the purification process by recomposing the material through a repolymerization process (WP4). Essentially, we reintegrate selected molecules to form the recycled PET. To initiate this process, we conducted initial trials using virgin-based monomers at a lab scale. Our preliminary findings revealed variations in the resulting products. Building upon these insights, we are adjusting our protocols and future PET chip production line accordingly.
As we endeavor to develop innovative solutions for sustainable waste management, conducting a comprehensive Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is essential (WP6). The LCA provides us with invaluable insights into the environmental footprint of our process, guiding us towards more informed decision-making. Moreover, we will also conduct a Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA). These assessments provide a comprehensive perspective on both the costs and social implications associated with the process throughout its entire life cycle. Over the past 18 months, we have initiated this step. By conducting a thorough LCA, LCC and SLCA, we are not only ensuring accountability and transparency but also driving meaningful progress towards sustainability and societal consideration in our operations.
Finally, to optimize the impact of the project results, comprehensive dissemination and communication activities have been undertaken during this initial phase (WP7). The consortium has actively contributed to the following key activities, ensuring that our project resonates far beyond its borders:
• Informing Stakeholders: Through extensive dissemination efforts, stakeholders are kept informed about our project's progress, goals, and achievements.
• Building Awareness: Our communication strategies aim to raise awareness about the importance and relevance of our project.
• Engaging Stakeholders: The WhiteCycle project hosted its first dissemination workshop on November 28th, 2023, at the Michelin R&D Center in Clermont-Ferrand, France, attracting over 90 participants including manufacturers, equipment suppliers in the recycling sector, institutions, and partners from other European projects.
• Fostering Collaboration and Networking: Strategic collaborations with organizations like Ecosystex, an EU project network dedicated to accelerating collaboration in the textile sustainability and circularity field, allow us to leverage synergies and pool resources, accelerating progress towards our shared objectives.
Regarding the state of the art, the WhiteCycle project has begun to yield promising results, introducing new knowledge to the forefront. Notably, we have identified a novel technology capable of identifying PET-based layers within multilayered clothing. This breakthrough has led to the development of a prototype, paving the way for industrial applications and bridging the gap between research and the market—an integral objective of our project.
However, we have encountered technical challenges that we will address in the following periods.
However, we have encountered technical challenges that we will address in the following periods.