Project description
Driving the transition towards a sustainable and circular plastic economy
Europe's plastic market is failing to embrace the circular economy, with only 29.7 % of the 25.8 million tonnes of plastic waste produced annually in the EU being recycled. This translates to billions of euros being lost in the plastic market loop, and poses significant environmental challenges, contributing to 23.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. In this context, the EU-funded PlastiCircle project seeks to implement a holistic process focused on increasing the recycling rates of packaging waste in Europe. By improving collection, transportation, sorting and valorisation methods, PlastiCircle aims to raise collection and valorisation rates. The successful implementation of this approach could result in the creation of hundreds of new companies and thousands of new jobs.
Objective
The European plastic market is not currently aligned with the circular economy. More than 25.8 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced per year in the EU28 being recycled only 29.7%. This represents a clear loose in the plastic market loop (losses of €10.56bn). Moreover, this goes against the EU legislation on waste (high environmental impact; 23.8 Mt of CO2).
Low recycling rates of plastic are mainly due to the situation of packaging waste (i.e. main plastic waste fraction), since it is mainly domestic residue and consequently the quality of the material collected depends on the system of segregation available and the environmental awareness of citizens.
PlastiCircle aims to develop and implement a holistic process to increase recycling rates of packaging waste in Europe. This will allow to reprocess again plastic waste in the same value chain (i.e. Circular economy; closure of plastic loop). This process is based on four axes: collection (to increase quantity of packaging collected), transport (to reduce costs of recovered plastic), sorting (to increase quality of recovered plastic), and valorization in value-added products (i.e. foam boards, automotive parts like engine covers/bumpers/dashboards, bituminous roofing membranes, garbage bags, asphalt sheets/roofing felts and urban furniture like fences/benches/protection walls).
The target is to increase collection from 81.7% to 87% and valorization in a 9.8%. The implementation of PlastiCircle approach in Europe have the potential to increase collected plastic in 861,250t (reaching 14.14 Mt) and valorization in 1.59Mt. The valorization of this new material, represents a market value of €2.86bn-€7.95bn. Taking into account current figures of the plastic sector (turnover €350bn, 62,000 companies, 1.45M employees), this could imply creation of 500-1400 new companies and the generation of 11,900-33,000 new jobs in the medium to long term if PlastiCircle approach is extended in a EU level.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesinternetinternet of things
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringautomotive engineering
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuels
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
46980 Paterna
Spain
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participants (22)
Participation ended
7034 Trondheim
See on map
L20 8RQ Liverpool
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
10043 Orbassano
See on map
3521 AZ Utrecht
See on map
46002 Valencia
See on map
510134 Alba Iulia
See on map
3320 Velenje
See on map
46003 Valencia
See on map
900126 COSTANTA
See on map
46970 ALACUAS VALENCIA
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
4890 THIMISTER CLERMONT
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1651 Lot
See on map
15122 Alessandria
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
M27 8LJ MANCHESTER
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28046 Madrid
See on map
08006 Barcelona
See on map
1040 Bruxelles / Brussel
See on map
79098 Freiburg Im Breisgau
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
08280 CALAF BARCELONA
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
08280 Calaf Barcelona
See on map
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7034 Trondheim
See on map
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
7034 Trondheim
See on map