The project takes an integral system approach that addresses different stages of the circular lifecycle, including the design, manufacturing, distribution/collection, business models, end-user & stakeholders’ communication, management and revalorisation of current waste streams, and provides solutions that fit well together and can complete the model for real-life applications.
A design methodology has been developed for ECOBULK with the active involvement of experts from all fields, where the product baseline is followed by a series of successive and iterative steps focused on aspects of product design and development leading to the creation of final design proposals. The framework and associated tools have been used for guiding the redesign activity of the demonstrators. Finally, the consideration of different business strategies around the CE has been added to the design process to turn the developed products and components in ECOBULK into attractive value propositions at all levels.
The new circular design products incorporate highly recyclable materials to support CE objectives and strategies. Among these innovative materials formulated and produced in ECOBULK, there is the recycled wind turbine blade Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer, the first thermoplastic composite that incorporates recycled GFRP-waste as reinforcing material. Other developments include bio-based polymers natural fibre and recycled carbon fibre composites, nonwoven materials using natural fibres and wooden particle boards integrating new more sustainable (low or formaldehyde-free) binders.
Demo plans involved 6 EU countries, 9 different sites and 21 individual demonstrators all over Europe during the years 2019-2021 within the three product sectors: automotive, furniture and construction.
Regarding furniture, ECOBULK products are wood-based with innovative connectors, with nonwoven materials manufactured by airlay/compression as part of the products. The prototypes are modular furniture pieces used for student accommodation and meeting rooms in Coventry Univ and Warwick Univ, and meetings rooms in LIPOR and FCBA. Nonwoven materials have been tested as the upholstery on chairs in addition to being evaluated on a pilot sofa in FCBA facilities.
For construction, new ECOBULK GFRP-waste materials were used for structural outdoor furniture used in modular shelters in the UK Universities of Warwick, Cranfield and Coventry, a tree-bench shelter, a drinking fountain shelter and a bin shelter in Lipor's Adventure Park, and benches, an InfoCabin and 10 flagman shelters in KymiRing. GFRP-waste materials were also used as the replacement for wood in urban furniture in FCBA, and its possibilities as the replacement for wood in timber walls were also tested.
For the automotive sector, ECOBULK tried to increase the amount of recycled material in their components. Examples are the multilayer fascia console built by MAIER, the central panels developed by CRF and the circular prototype's components for central console cowlings, dashboard highlight panels and door insulations panels (nonwoven) designed and installed by MICROCAB.
The transition towards CE requires concerted actions and good communication between all value chain actors to facilitate the flow of products, parts and materials at various stages of the product life and usage cycles. This is maintained in ECOBULK by its CE platform (available at eushp.ecobulk.upc.edu) the aim of which is the implementation of specific intelligent services and modules enabling direct interaction between all value chain actors.
ECOBULK also considered solutions for the collection, sorting and pre-treatment of current heterogeneous Bulky and ELV waste streams for material recovering, integration and revalorization into ECOBULK’s CE model. Innovative waste sorting and characterisation technologies have been tested and validated by partners like TOMRA SORTING, BELLVER or LIPOR. In addition, the suitability of recovered materials for their integration and revalorisation into ECOBULK’s circular economy model was evaluated.
The project findings are completed by a set of studies that range from business models adapted to become more circular; to the complete study of the life cycle for the most promising prototypes using MFA & LCA/LCC analysis. Finally, two CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) were produced using the results and conclusions obtained from the project activities.
