The companies Neos Additives, Miraplas, and Saxun also participated in this circular economy research project funded by IVACE+i and the ERDF Programme.

The Institute of Ceramic Technology (ITC) and Aimplas have worked in cooperation to develop the RECERCO Project, an initiative aligned with the circular economy and focused on recovering waste generated in the ceramic tile manufacturing process, specifically so-called fired sherds. These tiles of different types, mostly composed of red clay, are treated and then used to manufacture new ceramic tiles and also as a reinforcement agent for polymeric matrices to obtain composites for the construction industry.

The studies carried out in both applications confirm that the introduction of this waste as a secondary raw material is technically feasible. It is therefore possible to use it to replace much of the clay content in tile composition in the ceramic tile manufacturing process. Furthermore, in the case of composites, it is possible to completely replace the reinforcement agents traditionally used in the plastics industry (e.g. calcium carbonate and titanium oxide) with this waste to obtain thermoplastic and thermoset composites with identical or improved properties.

Within the framework of the project, AIMPLAS developed thermoset and thermoplastic formulas with the ceramic waste to manufacture PVC-based shutter profiles and a planter and a tank with thermoset composites, which can be used for outdoor applications.

The RECERCO Project was supported by the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) through the Strategic Cooperation Projects Programme co-financed by the EU through the European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) Programme. The companies Neos Additives, Miraplas, and Saxun also collaborated on the project with the AIMPLAS and ITC technology centres.

Their use has increased sharply recently, and there are currently no methods for recycling such plastic medical waste. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have now shown how mixed waste from healthcare can be recycled in a safe and efficient way, using a technique where the material is heated and converted into chemical building blocks. This can then be used in the production of new plastic.

Disposable healthcare items today create enormous amounts of waste. In the best-case scenario, this waste is incinerated, but in many countries it ends up in landfills, and it can also be released into the environment. The COVID pandemic has contributed to an avalanche-like increase in disposable items being used. Worldwide, used face masks alone were estimated to weigh around 2,641 tonnes per day in 2022.

In circular economy policies, medical waste is often overlooked. Disposable healthcare items usually consist of several types of plastic that cannot be recycled with today’s technology. In addition, the items must be considered contaminated after use, and so, they must be handled so that risks of spreading potential infections are avoided. When it comes to the production of single-use healthcare items, it is also not possible to use recycled plastic, since the requirements for purity and quality are so high for materials intended for medical use.

These problems can all be solved with the new method developed by Chalmers researchers. The technology is called ‘thermochemical recycling’ and is based on a process called ‘steam cracking’. It breaks down the waste by mixing it with sand at temperatures up to 800 degrees Celsius. The plastic molecules are then broken apart and converted into a gas, which contains building blocks for new plastic.

“It can be compared to a thermal sledgehammer that smashes the molecules, and at the same time destroys bacteria and other microorganisms”, says Martin Seemann, Associate Professor at Chalmers’ Division of Energy Technology. “What is left are different types of carbon and hydrocarbon compounds. These can then be separated and used in the petrochemical industry, to replace fossil materials that are currently used in production.”

Great potential for saving valuable chemicals

To test the technology in real life, the researchers have carried out two different projects in parallel in a test facility at Chalmers Power Central. In the first project, a few different product types, such as face masks and plastic gloves, have gone through the process. In the second, a mixture was created that represents the average composition of hospital waste from the region’s hospitals. The mixture contained about ten different plastic materials, as well as cellulose.

The results have been consistently positive in both projects, which shows the great potential that exists in the technology. One of the projects was led by Judith González-Arias, now at the University of Seville in Spain.

“What makes this technology so exciting is its ability to handle the environmental challenges that we associate with medical disposables. Thermochemical recycling not only addresses the problem that medical waste is not recycled today, but also facilitates the recovery of valuable carbon atoms. This is fully in line with the principles of the circular economy and provides a sustainable solution to the urgent issue of medical waste management,” says Judith González-Arias.

The only option for products with strict requirements

Many manufacturers of healthcare materials today are very interested in creating a circular model where the products can be recycled and reused over again in a closed loop. But materials that are to be used in sterile articles in healthcare have strict requirements for purity and quality, which are basically impossible to meet with sorting and mechanical recycling of plastic. However, it would be possible with thermochemical recycling.

“It’s really the only option for this kind of waste to go really circular,” says Martin Seemann. “It is so elegant that once the material has been broken down to the molecular level, the chemical industry can turn it back into virgin material.”

“The same strict requirements for purity and quality actually also apply to food packaging. This is why the vast majority of plastic collected from packaging is incinerated today, or recycled into items where lower quality is allowed.

The two projects build on previous Chalmers research, which has shown how mixed plastic waste can be converted into raw material for new plastic products of the highest possible quality.

The technology works well, but other factors also come into play

To scale up the method, new material flows and functioning business models need to be established, in collaboration between the healthcare and recycling sectors. Laws and regulations at different levels may also need to be changed in order for thermochemical recycling to be widely implemented in society.

“Certain political decisions would increase the value of plastic waste as a raw material for industry, and increase the chances of creating functioning circular business models around this type of recycling. For example, a requirement for carbon dioxide capture, when incinerating plastic, would create incentives to instead invest in more energy-efficient alternative technologies such as ours,” says Martin Seemann.

Many countries have the technical prerequisites for recycling medical waste and other mixed plastic waste through steam cracking. However, regulations and structural conditions vary, which determines how actors in waste management, the chemical industry and product manufacturing would need to work together to create functioning value chains in different places in the world.

In Sweden, there is a great deal of interest in recycling within industry, but single-use items from healthcare do not in themselves create large enough waste volumes for a functioning circular business model. Around 4,000 tonnes of such plastic were put on the market in the country in 2019.

“To build a plant of the size required for profitable thermochemical recycling, you would have to ensure a material flow of around 100,000 tonnes per year before start-up,” says Judith González-Arias. Such amounts of waste exist in Sweden in total, but it is not just a matter of redirecting them from one type of recycling to another.

She says that new collaborations would therefore be needed between several actors for commercial thermochemical recycling, where healthcare waste could be part of the material flow. The process would be optimised if a Swedish plant was built in an existing chemical cluster, such as the one in Stenungsund. The Chalmers researchers have therefore collaborated with the company Borealis during the development of the technology.

In Sweden, there is a recycling quota for plastic that is not achieved today. The largest share goes to incineration instead. “Thermochemical recycling would become more beneficial with new political frameworks that create a recycling solution for our plastic-rich waste,” says Martin Seemann. “The technology is more energy-efficient than some other methods for recycling components in the plastic, such as carbon dioxide capture during incineration to use the carbon dioxide as a building block for new materials”.

As they are non-biodegradable, plastics accumulate in the environment, altering habitats and natural processes. Millions of wildlife are also trapped by plastic waste every year.

When plastics break down, they release toxic compounds that contaminate the environment. They also disintegrate into small pieces of plastic called microplastics. Microplastics are now found all over the globe and are linked to severe health effects such as metabolic disorders and organ damage.

Recycling plastics reduces the amount of plastic waste that would otherwise be discarded and conserves natural resources. However, only about 10 per cent of plastic is currently recycled around the world. The figure is low in part because recycling some types of plastic, such as e-waste and marine plastic litter, is difficult. Chemical reactions that break down plastics into simpler components to be reused are also energy intensive.

From using e-waste plastics to culture cells to developing a greener method that breaks down plastics, researchers at NTU Singapore are solving some of the greatest challenges that stand in the way of recycling plastics. They are also making strides in reducing plastic pollution.

Repurposing e-waste plastics to grow “mini tumours” for laboratory testing

Plastics comprise a large portion of electronic waste (e-waste), and rapid technological advances, and high consumer demand drives its growing use in electronics. According to a UN report, the generation of e-waste is rising five times faster than the official recycling rate figures show. In 2022, e-waste generated 17 million tonnes of plastic globally.

Single-use plastics are also widely used in research and healthcare applications such as cell culture.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) is an e-plastic commonly used in the housings of devices such as keyboards and laptops. Repurposing plastics such as ABS for high value biomedical applications could be an attractive waste-to-resource strategy for effectively reducing plastic waste.

NTU scientists have developed a synthetic matrix to culture cells using ABS from discarded keyboards. The matrix is porous like a sponge and functions as a support structure, providing a framework for cells to attach and grow.

The matrix can culture spherical clusters of cells, called cancer spheroids, that resemble actual tumours. Due to their 3D shape, these “mini tumours” more accurately represent tumours than conventional cell cultures.

To fabricate the matrix, the scientists dissolved plastic scraps from discarded keyboards in an organic solvent, acetone and poured the solution into a mould.

The matrix supported the growth of breast, colorectal and bone cancer spheroids. The cancer spheroids had properties similar to those grown using commercially available matrices and may be used for biomedical applications such as drug testing.

“Our innovation not only offers a practical means to reuse e-waste plastics but could also reduce the use of new plastics in the biomedical industry,” said Assoc Prof Dalton Tay of NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering, who led the research.

The research was reported in Resources, Conservation & Recycling in 2024.

Converting hard-to-recycle plastic waste into hydrogen and carbon additives for polymer foams

While some types of plastics can be repurposed into new products, it is not as easy to recycle other kinds of plastics. Household plastics, packaging waste and marine plastic litter recovered from the environment are all examples of plastic waste that are difficult to recycle. There are also limited economic benefits to treating mixed and contaminated plastics.

Researchers from NTU explored using difficult-to-recycle plastics as a source of solid carbon material for application in polymer foams. The researchers first obtained gas and oil by heating different types of plastic waste at high temperatures (600 degrees Celsius) in the absence of oxygen. Then the gas and oil were heated at over 1000 degrees Celsius to break down the molecules into solid carbon and hydrogen. The solid carbon can be added to polymer foam to increase its strength and resistance to abrasion for cushioning applications. The foam containing the synthesised solid carbon derived from plastic waste exhibited properties comparable to other carbon-based and conventional reinforcing materials available on the market.

At the same time, the hydrogen produced could be collected and used as fuel.

Published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in 2024, the research is a milestone in finding a use for plastic waste that previously could not be recycled. “We have developed a feasible approach to repurpose hard-to-recycle plastics, which is an important aspect of the circular economy,” said lead investigator Assoc Prof Grzegorz Lisak of NTU’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

A bright way to break down plastics into valuable compounds

Although plastics can be broken down by heating them at high temperatures, such processes are energy intensive and generate greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming.

Addressing the need for greener methods of breaking down plastics, NTU scientists have developed a process that can upcycle most plastics into chemical compounds useful for energy storage. The reaction uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a commercially available catalyst and occurs at room temperature. It can break down a wide range of plastics, including polypropylene, polyethylene and polystyrene, all commonly used in packaging and discarded as plastic waste.

Compared to conventional plastic recycling methods, the process requires much less energy.

First, the plastics are dissolved in the organic solvent called dichloromethane, making the plastic polymer chains more accessible to the photocatalyst. The solution is then mixed with the catalyst and flowed through transparent tubes where LED light shines on it.

The light provides the initial energy to break the carbon-carbon bonds in a two-step process with the help of the vanadium catalyst. The plastics’ carbon-hydrogen bonds are oxidised, which makes them less stable and more reactive. After that, the carbon-carbon bonds are broken down.

The resulting end products are compounds such as formic acid and benzoic acid, which can be used to make other chemicals employed in fuel cells and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) – organic compounds that can absorb and release hydrogen through chemical reactions. LOHCs are being explored by the energy sector as a storage media for hydrogen.

According to Assoc Prof Han Soo Sen of NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Biotechnology, who led the study, the breakthrough not only provides a potential answer to the growing plastic waste problem but also reuses the carbon trapped in these plastics instead of releasing it into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases through incineration.

The method was reported in the journal Chem in 2023.

These updates follow intensive testing commissioned earlier this year with a focus on a comprehensive alignment of the Guidelines’ structure. The review included a restructuring of the decoration sections, in particular, to clarify the impact of inks and labels on recycling.

‘Considering the recent legislative developments at the European level, RecyClass is more committed than ever to provide the industry with the most up-to-date recommendations for improving circularity of plastic packaging,’ said Paolo Glerean, Chairman of RecyClass.

As a result of the collaboration with independent testing facilities, RecyClass further investigated the behaviour of common packaging technologies during recycling processes. These tests were conducted according to standardised testing methods, as described in the RecyClass Recyclability Evaluation Protocols.

Notable additions to the Guidelines include a more precise definition of adhesives for labels on HDPE, PP and PS rigids and updated recommendations for PO foamed liners for HDPE. A technical review of HDPE tube size sorting will also be available following the results shared by STINA.

For PE Films, EVOH/metallisation and laminating adhesive combination can now be directly certified without testing, provided they follow the Guidelines’ recommendations. Additionally, PP-based plastomers are now recognised as fully compatible with the PE stream if they represent up to 15 % of the total weight of the packaging. When it comes to PET bottles, the design for recycling recommendations have been refined with a better definition for clear, light blue and coloured transparent PET bottles, together with additional guidance on PET closures.

The latest design recommendations have been integrated into the RecyClass Online Tool and the RecyClass Recyclability Certification Schemes. Looking ahead, ongoing testing campaigns will soon be concluded and further enhance the RecyClass Design for Recycling Guidelines on TPS, adhesives, inks and PVOH, among others.

The demand for electric vehicles which run on batteries is increasing worldwide. At the same time, resources of primary battery materials – i.e. those obtained from mining activities – are limited. Moreover, mining these resources is often damaging to the environment and involves precarious working conditions. As a result, recycling such materials to establish a circular economy is an important issue in politics, industry and academia – also against a background of becoming independent from imports of raw materials. A team with members from academia and from the automotive and battery industries, and headed by Prof. Stephan von Delft from the University of Münster, has now been looking into the question of what effects different strategies for achieving an efficient and sustainable circular economy with lithium, cobalt and nickel for electric vehicles will have on the demand for materials in Europe. They have determined the amounts of mining and recycling which will be necessary to enable a circular economy to be set up and maintained.

The researchers looked at the period 2035 to 2040 and demonstrated that through a combination of different strategies it would, in the best-case scenario, be possible to have a total of eleven mines and 57 recycling plants fewer – and these mines and plants themselves produce emissions. So this would correspond to savings totalling 35 billion dollars (32 billion euros) and – with regard to the metals lithium, cobalt and nickel – 32.5 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalents. As a comparison: around 3472 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalents were emitted in the EU in 2021. The package of measures required for this includes a faster electrification of the automobile market, smaller batteries, a selective second use of certain types of battery – for example, in stationary energy storage units – and an increased use of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries in electric vehicles.

“The results are important for European policy-making as they provide recommendations for action on how policies can support the transition, increase security of supplies for raw materials, and strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy,” says Stephan von Delft.

The team of researchers proceeded from their previous work on battery recycling. As in their earlier study, the team used a so-called dynamic material flow analysis to calculate not only how much lithium, cobalt and nickel will be needed in future, but also how much recyclable raw material will then be available. The basis for the team’s work was data from current research work and market forecasts regarding developments in battery production and sales and the associated demand for raw materials.

The EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) remained stable, registering just a small increase (0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter of 2022).

This information comes from data on quarterly estimates for greenhouse gas emissions by economic activity published by Eurostat today.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the economic sectors responsible for the largest reductions compared with the fourth quarter of 2022 were electricity and gas supply (- 17.2%) and manufacturing (-3.1%). Emissions by households remained almost stable.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have decreased in 22 EU countries, when compared with the same quarter of 2022.

The largest reductions in greenhouse gases are estimated for Estonia (-23.0%), Bulgaria (-17.0%) and Finland (-9.0%).

Out of the 22 EU members who are estimated to have decreased their emissions, 10 also recorded a decline in their GDP (Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg). Hungary maintained the GDP at the same level while decreasing emissions. The other 11 EU countries (Bulgaria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Croatia) are estimated to have managed to decrease emissions while growing their GDP.

Increases in emissions are estimated for Malta (+7.7%), Slovenia (+5.6%), Cyprus (+2.3%), Slovakia (1.7%) and Greece (+0.3%). Simultaneously, all 5 recorded a GDP increase: Malta (+4.3%), Slovenia (+2.2%), Cyprus (+2.1%), Slovakia (+2.2%) and Greece (+1.1%).

PulpaTronics has developed chip-free, metal-free RFID tags made from paper. These novel tags do not require metal extraction and are more cost-effective and compatible with existing recycling processes. As part of the award ceremony, all six finalist start-ups presented their business concepts to the audience and jury in live pitches. PulpaTronics came out on top with their future-proof and affordable inventory solution.

Chloe So, founder and CEO of PulpaTronics, is delighted to receive the award: “With our innovative laser technology, a conductive circuit is applied directly to the paper, which simplifies the manufacturing process and eliminates the need for metal and silicon components. This significantly reduces the ecological footprint of RFID tag production. We will use the prize money to further develop our product, strengthen our market position and actively participate in a future-oriented circular economy.”

This edition of the award had over 339 start-up applications from across Europe, 50% more applicants than the previous edition. Notably, the majority of start-up applications came from Germany (19%), followed by the UK (16%), Italy (11%) and Spain (9%). Multiple types of solutions were on display, ranging from waste prevention (36%) to digital solutions and recycling (both with 32%). These projects represent strong solutions, innovative business ideas, and dedicated teams for the circular economy.

Aimplas promotes the development of new sustainable and efficient materials for the construction industry obtained from carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by industries in the Valencian Community and waste produced by the citrus sector.

Also participating in the project are the Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ, UPV-CSIC), Zuvamesa, a company specializing in producing citrus juice, Lamberti Iberia, a producer of chemical products, and Laurentia Technologies, which specializes in the synthesis and manufacture of nanomaterials.

The aim of the project is to contribute new, sustainable formulations using CO2 and waste from the citrus industry in Valencia to make materials for the construction industry.

This research project has received economic funding from the Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) and the European Union within the framework of the Valencian Community ERDF Programme for the 2021-2027 period.
The aim of the BUILD-LIMONENE initiative is to develop new additives and biodegradable materials with a lower carbon footprint that can be used in the construction industry and become viable alternatives to the materials currently available in the market. Some of the most in-demand applications are sustainable polymers, additives, and coatings.

This new technology will contribute to the recovery of waste from different industrial sectors that all play an important role in the Valencian Community, such as food waste, especially citrus waste. BUILD-LIMONENE will make it possible to use citrus peels and generated CO2 emissions and apply them in the construction industry.

This project presents an additional advantage over traditional markets of additives and coatings for construction materials. Currently, most materials are obtained from raw materials of fossil origin and there are practically no sustainable alternatives.

Based on this goal, the processes of producing polycarbonates and polyurethanes based on or synthesized from CO2 are being studied to open a new field of innovation that promotes the development of new construction materials with fewer negative effects.

The project is currently in the experimentation stage. The catalytic reaction of limonene oxide and CO2 is being optimized so that polycarbonates with specific characteristics can be obtained. It has also been possible to identify the different varieties of oranges and mandarins with the highest limonene content. Limonene is a natural chemical substance that can be extracted from citrus peels and is a fundamental ingredient in these formulations.

Within the framework of this project, Aimplas is working on studying and optimizing the processes necessary for combining limonene oxide with CO2 in order to obtain sustainable polymers, while Zuvamesa is in charge of the first step in the chain, the extraction of purified limonene from different Valencia oranges.

The Institute of Chemical Technology (ITQ, UPV, CSIC) is studying the epoxidation reaction of limonene with samples of Valencian oranges and mandarins of different types and sizes. This is done using sustainable catalysts prepared by Laurentia Technologies. Finally, Lamberti Iberia, the company in the additive chemical sector, validates and formulates sustainable materials for the construction industry.

This initiative is aligned with the conclusions on circular economy of the Strategic Committee of Specialized Innovation (CIEI), which includes the development of materials that include CO2 and food waste applied in the construction industry to reduce its carbon footprint. BUILD-LIMONENE is also aligned with the main concepts of Strategy of Intelligent Specialization (S3) of the Valencian Community, which is coordinated with the Council of Innovation, Industry, Commerce, and Tourism.

Aimplas participates in an EU-funded project to promote circular economy principles within the bio-based industrial ecosystem using AI-driven solutions. Under the banner of “Securing Local Supply Chains via the Development of New Methods to Assess the Circularity and Symbiosis of the Bio-based Industrial Ecosystem,” the SYMBA project aims to revolutionize industrial practices by promoting symbiotic relationships within bio-based ecosystems.

Through innovative methodologies and cutting-edge technologies, the project strives to pave the way for zero-waste value chains, contributing to a more sustainable future for Europe. The project officially kicked off in January, marking a significant step towards fostering resource independence and enhancing EU competitiveness.

At the core of SYMBA lies the development of a unique Industrial Symbiosis (IS) methodology specifically tailored to local and regional bio-based ecosystems. SYMBA will implement a user-friendly and accessible AI database suggesting regional IS innovative processes to create zero-waste value chains, ensuring more local supply chains, a better distribution of economic and social benefits among the stakeholders and an increase in the economic value of final products. The project outcomes will act as a powerful tool for identifying and implementing innovative processes, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and driving the transition towards circularity.

The SYMBA project is supported by a consortium comprising leading organizations such as Novamont, Climate-KIC, CIRCE, Centexbel, AIMPLAS, ICLEI Europe, Bio-Based Europe Pilot Plant, and Cetaqua. ENCO takes the helm of the consortium.

The partnership has been intentionally selected by its expertise, network with key external stakeholders and geographical reach, bringing together five EU countries (Italy, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany) to consolidate the maximum outreach of the initiative. Through the involvement of different industrial sectors: agri-food (Novamont); plastic packaging (AIMPLAS); wastewater (Cetaqua); textile (Centexbel); waste valorisation (Bio-Based Europe Pilot Plant), SYMBA will demonstrate how to shift from a linear to a circular economy contributing to deliver bio-based solutions with reduced environmental impacts on soil, water and air quality.

SYMBA project has been funded by the European Union under G.A. 101135562.

In an initiative recently officially launched in Vienna, the RecAL (Recycling technologies for circular ALuminium) project aims to develop innovative recycling technologies and a digital platform for a circular aluminium economy. The HORIZON EUROPE-funded project brings together 19 partner organizations from nine European countries and is coordinated by the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen, a wholly owned subsidiary of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. The initiative aims to usher in a new era of sustainable production and reuse for aluminium by creating a digital cockpit, the RecAL Hub. This enables the circular economy of aluminium recyclates across the continent and connects suppliers, buyers, and technology solution providers.

Recycling aluminium from existing end-of-life (EoL) and production waste holds enormous potential and requires only five percent of the energy needed to produce primary material. Given its crucial role in global decarbonization, the RecAL project aims to exploit the potential of this raw material in an environmentally friendly and efficient way, in line with the European Green Deal.

One of the major challenges in recycling aluminium is that the metal is alloyed with various other elements that are virtually impossible to separate again. The current practice of mixing different EoL alloys inevitably leads to downcycling and a reduction in available feedstock. Europe has a rich potential for secondary aluminium, which is expected to account for 49 percent of total aluminium production by 2050. However, this potential resource needs a central hub.

Aims of RecAL

The RecAL project takes a comprehensive approach to the sustainable use of this valuable secondary resource. It strategically addresses every step of the production and reuse cycle and solves challenges along the entire value chain:

• Higher impurity tolerance in alloy design without compromising properties.
• Exploiting the benefits of digitalization and robotics in sorting and dismantling.
• Creation of recyclate streams with significantly improved purities.
• Adapting production paradigms to unleash the full potential of secondary resources.
• Harmonization of communication between all sectors of the aluminium industry.

With a strong focus on innovation, RecAL is driving forward a total of 14 major technological solutions for aluminium recycling up to technology readiness level 6 (TRL6). These are integrated into a digital, sociotechnical ecosystem that acts as an aluminium hub for the circular economy. This dynamic platform promotes direct collaboration along the entire value chain and contributes significantly to industrial and technological symbiosis on a large scale by linking energy, resource, and data cycles at regional and European level.

The RecAL consortium consists of 19 European partners from research and industry. The project is led by the LKR Light Metals Competence Center Ranshofen of the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. In addition to coordinating the project, the LKR is responsible for the Cluster C work package, in which new approaches for recycling-tolerant alloys for the most important alloy categories are to be investigated and tested directly in an industrial environment together with renowned European partners.

“RecAL aims to fully exploit the immense potential of secondary aluminium resources in Europe, revolutionize recycling processes, address key challenges in alloy development and promote sustainable practices,” explains project manager Gerald Prantl from the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen.