Equipped to process up to 10,000 tonnes of material annually, with plans to double this capacity by expanding onto an adjacent plot, the facility utilizes an industry-leading inert crushing and vacuum drying process to safely recycle lithium and EV batteries, as well as battery production scrap.

SK tes extracts black mass, an intermediate-processed product containing rare metals including lithium, cobalt, and nickel that is fed back into the battery supply chain.

SK tes also plans to expand battery recycling capabilities at key bases in Europe. In addition to Rotterdam, SK tes is working to develop battery recycling capacity in Southern and Eastern Europe. In Asia, SK tes recently completed an EV battery recycling plant in Yancheng, China, and plans to complete EV waste battery recycling operation in Newcastle, Australia later this year.

The Steinert UMP Multipol provides a solution for enriching and cleaning ferrous concentrates. By changing the magnetic polarity several times, the material is turned over multiple times beneath the conveyor belt, removing non-magnetic impurities effectively. This greatly improves the quality of the ferrous fractions. Furthermore, copper losses in ferrous concentrates can be significantly reduced in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) applications.

The overhead suspension magnet with permanent magnets lifts ferromagnetic pieces of scrap (predominantly iron) out of the material flow against gravity. The innovative process of changing polarity turns the attracted pieces of iron over several times, releasing non-magnetic impurities. At the end of the conveyor belt, the cleaned ferrous material is discharged separately. Using permanent magnets ensures that only minimal levels of energy are required.

Steinert names shredder light fractions, handling e-scrap, processing demolition waste and sorting commercial waste as the main areas of use

According to the company, the UMP Multipol can be easily integrated into existing systems.

The Liebherr Group’s wheel loader production plant in Bischofshofen employs 1,200 people on a site covering 170,000 m². With its present capacity, up to 7,000 wheel loaders can be produced each year. In the medium term, the company expects demand to reach 10,000 units per year, which means that production capacity has to be expanded.

“Our site is beside the B 159 road that runs along the Salzach valley and is hemmed in by the slope to Mitterberghütte, the railway line and the river Salzach. We would only be able to expand our site by building upwards. Current projects around Bischofshofen do not have the required space and would result in a complex transport concept that would further burden traffic in the region. This makes the expansion in Wildon a logical and necessary decision in order to be able to meet the increasing market demand,” says Peter Schachinger, Managing Director for Production at the Liebherr plant in Bischofshofen.

The decision was thus taken to build a state-of-the-art production facility on a spacious 200,000 m² site in Wildon. The new facility will manufacture the small wheel loader models L 504 to L 518, as well as models for the OEM partners John Deere and Claas.

The location of the new site offers many advantages that make it very attractive. In particular, the excellent rail connection and the proximity to the Cargo Centre Graz (CCG) allow efficient material supply and the dispatch of finished products. This not only optimises production processes, but also minimises environmental impact by reducing lorry transport.

In addition, Wildon offers the ideal infrastructure for future expansion. The proximity to key suppliers and the availability of skilled workers in the region are other advantages that make the location so attractive. The planned expansion will not only create new jobs but will also strengthen the local economy and contribute to regional development.

The Bischofshofen plant will continue to be responsible for production of large and medium-sized wheel loaders, as well as steel construction for the entire wheel loader range. Due to the increasing demand for large and medium-sized wheel loaders, and the fact that the new plant will take several years to build, good capacity utilisation can be expected in Bischofshofen. “Liebherr’s Bischofshofen plant will remain the centre of expertise and development for all the company’s wheel loaders. The enormous potential for growth in countries such as the USA, along with increasing requirements for digitalisation and intelligent assistance systems, allow us to look with confidence into the future of our main plant in Bischofshofen”, says Schachinger.

The new production site is scheduled for completion in 2029.

In addition to mechanical processing of used PET bottles, the recycling system encompasses all process steps leading up to extrusion with a ZSK twin screw extruder, including pelletizing and an SSP (Solid State Polycondensation) reactor.

This PET bottle recycling system is designed for a throughput of 5,500 kg/h. It will deliver PET recyclate that is approved by the European Food Safety Administration (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct contact with food. Moreover, the PET pellets manufactured on this bottle-to-bottle line are brand owner approved.

“Magpet has always pursued the goal to be a first mover when it comes to embracing new technology,” said Devendra Surana, Managing Director of Magpet, a part of Magnum Group. “This PET recycling unit is a big step in that direction. And it goes hand in hand with our efforts to take over business responsibly for a bigger eco purpose. We are excited to partner with Herbold and Coperion to set up this state-of-the-art PET bottle recycling line in India.”

Entire high-efficiency system from a single source

Magpet awarded the contract for the entire system to Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim, operating companies of Hillenbrand, as they have optimally coordinated their technologies and realized efficient plastic recycling solutions that consistently and reliably deliver high PET recyclate quality.

Coperion’s and Herbold Meckesheim’s bottle-to-bottle plants enable all recyclates to be processed together, even if they exhibit different IV (Intrinsic Viscosity) values or fluctuating bulk densities. What is more, the Coperion-Herbold solution saves on operating costs, logistics costs, and energy consumption in comparison to conventional PET recycling processes.

The bottle-to-bottle recycling system first processes the PET bottles into flakes. For this purpose, Herbold uses granulators with forced feeding and washing system technologies that efficiently and gently process the PET to minimize material loss due to fines formation and thus maximize yield.

This preprocessing is followed by conveying and feeding into the ZSK recycling twin screw extruder. There, the PET regrind is gently melted, intensively dispersed, and processed into a homogeneous mass. The ZSK’s twin screw technology efficiently transfers the energy into the melt. Thanks to the twin screw extruder’s high 18 Nm/cm³ torque, the PET’s residence time in the extruder is short. Processing takes place at low temperatures, polymer chain degradation is minimal, and the product quality achieved is high. Volatile components such as monomers, oligomers and water are removed from the melt and purged.

Following discharge from the ZSK recycling extruder, the still-warm material stream is transferred via a gear pump to an underwater granulator and an SSP reactor, where it is then condensed and decontaminated.

“In the bottle-to-bottle recycling plant for Magpet, we have united the advantages of Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim technologies. All process steps, from mechanical pretreatment to producing finished recyclate, are optimally coordinated to produce PET of high-quality – and with maximum energy efficiency,” says Jochen Schofer, Head of Sales Recycling at Coperion.

“With this bottle-to-bottle recycling system Magpet takes the next step in their journey. We wish Magpet every success and look forward to continuing to work together,” adds Mehmet Kaya, Sales Team Leader Asia for Herbold Meckesheim.

The winners exemplify the best advances in the circular use of plastics in products, as well as the latest technology and machinery innovations facilitating plastics recycling.

The prestigious category of Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year gives special recognition to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to European plastics recycling. This year the judges wanted to recognise the achievements of two highly respected individuals: Erica Canaia, the charismatic CEO of FIMIC and co-founder of AreyouR, a project aimed at increasing public awareness and the importance of plastics recycling, and Vicente Olmos Jorge, CEO and Founder, SINTAC Recycling, who has been an active leader in the plastics recycling sector for over 30 years.

Winner of the Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product of the Year category, the Electrolux 900 Series Air Purifier by Electrolux AB, was highly praised by judges for the high percentage of post-consumer recycled content used in a well-designed and multifunctional item.

The RPS Skimmer by Fluidra, a vital part of a swimming pool filtration system that needs a high level of durability, is winner of the Building & Construction Product of the Year category. The judges were impressed both by the high percentage of recycled content used in the skimmer and its well-designed recyclability when the component reaches end-of-life.

This year’s winner of the Household & Leisure Product of the Year category, covering all types of domestic and leisure goods, is the Blue Finn Chair by Bywyd B.V. The Blue Finn chair is a highly stackable, multifunctional chair with a polymer seat and back made from 85% recycled impact modified Bluewrap, which is the wrapping used for keeping surgical instruments sterile.

Beiersdorf AG & Morssinkhof Plastics Heerenveen B.V. are victorious in the Plastic Packaging Product of the Year category with the Nivea Sun Lotion Bottle. This winning design gained high marks for successfully addressing the challenge of cosmetics packaging applications through collaboration.

Winning through from no less than twelve successful finalists in the hotly contested Product Technology Innovation of the Year category is Multi-Color Corporation with NextCycle IML. This category covers technology innovations that facilitate the production of recyclable products and the use of recycled content. The winning innovation helps maximize the value of recycled polypropylene and represents a good balance between shelf appeal and recyclability for mono-material PP packaging.

Last but not least, the Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year category rewards machines that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of plastic recycling processes. This year’s winner is DischargePro Technology by Powerfil – EREMA Group, a new generation of plastic melt filters which the judges described as a smart technological advance in the extrusion process.

All eight winners received a winner’s trophy, with a 3D printed base made from 100% recycled ABS plastic car dashboards and the multi-colour top which is laser cut from compressed HDPE beach clean-up bottle caps.

The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe are organised jointly by Plastics Recyclers Europe and Crain Communications, organisers of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe.

Plastics Recycling Awards 2024 Winners

• Plastics Recycling Ambassadors: Erica Canaia, CEO, FIMIC and Vicente Olmos Jorge, CEO and Founder, SINTAC Recycling
• Automotive, Electrical & Electronic Product: Electrolux 900 Series by Electrolux AB
• Building & Construction Product: RPS Skimmer by Fluidra
• Household & Leisure Product: Blue Finn Chair by Bywyd B.V
• Plastic Packaging Product: Nivea Sun Lotion Bottle by Beiersdorf AG & Morssinkhof Plastics Heerenveen B.V.
• Product Technology Innovation: Multi-Color Corporation for NextCycle IML
• Recycling Machinery Innovation: DischargePro Technology by Powerfil – EREMA Group

The PRS Europe exhibition and conference attracts thousands of professional stakeholders of the entire plastics recycling value chain from across Europe and beyond. Being held in four halls at the RAI, the exhibition will welcome a record 480 exhibiting companies and organisations.

The two-day conference features more than 65 expert speakers examining in-depth all the latest political, legislative, market and technological developments in plastics recycling. Werner Bosmans, Team Leader on Plastics, DG Environment, European Commission, is the conference’s keynote speaker on the opening day. Colgate-Palmolive, Henkel Consumer Brands, IKEA, Mars, P&G and Reckitt are among the leading brands whose experts are also taking part in the discussions.

“A record number of visitors have already registered to join us at the RAI, Amsterdam this year, and over 155 companies are exhibiting for the first time,” says Matt Barber, Global Events Director at Crain Communications. “The global pre-eminence of this event means there is no better place to discover what’s new in the world of plastics recycling and to meet anyone and everyone involved in the circular use of plastics.”

“PRS Europe has become an unmissable event for the industry in Europe, attracting each year more and more actors of the plastics recycling value chain,” says Ton Emans, Plastics Recyclers Europe’s President. “It is the perfect platform to explore cutting-edge technical innovations, track commercial developments, and stay up to date with the legislative landscape for plastics circularity.”

The winners of the seven award categories at the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2024 will be announced at the event on 20 June, and all finalists will be showcased in the exhibition. The shortlisted products and projects are made in Europe and every product contains a minimum of 50% recycled plastics.

The Plastics Recycling Show Europe brings together key players from the plastics and plastics recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practices, network and do business. Every part of the industry is represented at the event, including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, AI-powered sorting technology, plastic material suppliers and compounders, pre-processors, mechanical and chemical plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations. In 2023, PRS Europe attracted a record number of more than 8,500 visitors from across Europe and more than 80 different countries internationally.

For full details of the conference programme and to register to attend, visit the PRSE website.

The company chose Stadler to design and install a new sorting plant to replace its existing facility in Regensdorf.

“It is the largest processing plant for electronic waste in Switzerland, and it must ensure high throughput and capability to process the volumes we receive,” says Patrick Wollenmann, Project Manager at Immark. “We expect that with this new plant, we have laid the foundation for a successful future in terms of operational management.”.

The new facility features innovative design and the latest technology, and is, in fact, the first electronic waste sorting plant to use a ballistic separator. The plant operates in a 2-shift service with a capacity of up to 12 tons per hour, meeting Immark’s requirements of greater capacity and better purity of the output. It also optimizes the recovery of printed circuit boards.

“For us, Stadler´s convincing technology of the conveyor belts and ballistic separator, and their proximity to Zurich were decisive. We also appreciate very much the work of the competent project managers, the quick and constructive implementation and solution-oriented approach,” says Patrick Wollenmann.

“The Stadler STT5000 ballistic separator pre-sorts the material into three different fractions. It separates the material into fines, flat plastics and cables, as well as cube-shaped material such as electronic motors,” explains Jan Dollenmaier, Stadler joint Project Manager.

The new sorting plant receives materials in WEEE Directive Groups 1-3 (Large – Small Household Appliances and IT Equipment) and 4 (Consumer Equipment), which are processed in several processing modules. The modules are positioned in line, but are also equipped with separate feeders for independent usage, which results in higher availability of the whole plant.

The flexible modular design of the plant allows the adjustment of the machines throughout the process to ensure consistently high-quality non-ferrous, ferrous, PCB, stainless-steel and plastic fractions.

In the first module of the process, the infeed material is manually sorted to remove the toxins and hazardous components, as well as valuable materials such as cables, printed circuit boards and metals.

Once the hazardous components have been removed, the material is crushed in various shredders so that both the remaining hazardous components, such as batteries or capacitors, and the various recyclable materials, such as iron, non-ferrous metals and plastic, can be sorted. When selecting the shredding units, consideration was given not only to the required throughput, but also to the lowest possible wear and tear and easy maintenance.

The recyclable materials are sorted out after screening using state-of-the-art magnetic technology, eddy current separation and sensor sorting technology. The iron fractions are re-sorted in a sorting cabin to ensure quality and increase the degree of purity.

The fine fraction is also processed through various sorting steps to separate the plastics from the metal compounds, which are then ground to separate the various metal granules.

Great attention was devoted to fire protection at the plant. Automated fire detection and extinguishing systems were installed after the shredding units. The detected fire source is automatically discharged from the plant process into a steel bunker via a hatch system, where the personnel can extinguish the fire and secure the fire source. The high wear and tear of the waste material processed at the new plant required specific design features such as stainless-steel wear plates to reinforce the hoppers and belts with fire retardant and cutting protection.

The plant was also designed to simplify maintenance as much as possible. All key points and motors are accessible via maintenance platforms or access ladders.

The design and assembly of the new plant presented challenges that the Stadler and Immark teams successfully resolved through close collaboration.

“In addition to the installation of the new system, the old system continued to operate. This meant that the new plant had to be built in several stages and the old plant had to be dismantled at the same time. In addition, the available space on the construction site was very limited,” says Patrick Wollenmann.

The modular design of the new plant was a key element for the successful completion of the project and for the high speed of assembly: “The modular design of the individual units has limited the assembly time to a very short period. Any problems that arose during assembly were quickly identified and solved thanks to the flexibility of Stadler’s employees,” adds Patrick Wollenmann.

“This was a major electrical waste project, with many new machines being installed and many suppliers involved. We had a lot of new interfaces. All in all, we managed everything very nicely in cooperation with Immark’s team,” concludes Philipp Frechen, Stadler joint Project Manager.

Under the terms of the agreement, CNGR’s investment will allow it to become a strategic partner of Revomet. Under the partnership, Revomet will install its first two processing lines at the new lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Bitterfeld, Germany. The new installation will have an annual capacity of 28,000 metric tons, and the first line is expected to be operational in the first half of 2024.

This partnership enables CNGR and Cronimet to operate one of the largest battery recycling facilities in Western Europe. The partners will evaluate further projects in Bitterfeld and other countries as demand requires.

Considering the growing demand for sustainable fibres in the re-spinning and nonwoven industries, Sfilacciatura Negro Biella decided to expand its recycling capabilities. The company has extensive experience in recycling industrial textile waste and already operates two tearing lines. Based on its long-term collaboration with ANDRITZ, it is now stepping into the recycling of post-consumer clothing waste.

“Our approach is based on circularity. We make new fibres from textile waste that would otherwise end up in landfills,” Tiziano Negro, CEO of Sfilacciatura Negro, explains and adds, “Having worked with Andritz for a long time and knowing their expertise in both textile recycling and nonwovens, we are convinced they are the right partner to support our company in our ambitious diversification project.”

The new generation recycling line Andritz supplied to Sfilacciatura Negro is the result of ten years of close cooperation, trials in its technical centre, and visits to customer lines in Spain and Portugal. Andritz has tailored a complete line, from feeding of sorted waste bales to baling of the recycled fibres. It is designed for highly efficient, energy-saving operation and features automated separation of hard points while maintaining a very good material yield. An automated filtration unit is provided for airflow and dust management. Only one operator is needed to manage the entire line up to the recycled fibre baler. The baler can produce film-wrapped and tied bales with a weight of up to 350 kg.

To reach this goal, effective collaboration between the different elements in the value chain is essential.

“The pressure to reduce waste, recycle more, and move towards a closed-loop circular economy is unprecedented,” states Willi Stadler, CEO of the Stadler Group. “At Stadler, we believe that for progress to be made towards this goal, the effective collaboration of all the members of the value chain is essential – this means the involvement and coordination of industry associations, authorities at local and government level, the European Commission, research institutes and universities, designers and users of the products and packaging, suppliers of sorting plants and technologies like us, and the recycling industry as whole. As a plant and equipment manufacturer, Stadler’s primary role in the chain is to support the recycling industry with our high-performance sorting systems. We believe that, in doing this, we can make a big difference by acting as a link between key elements of the value chain.”

Stadler is constantly searching for new ways of helping the recycling industry expand its scope and effectiveness. To this end, it takes part in research projects to explore solutions to recycle more materials from different waste streams. “Working with partners, such as universities and research institutes, significantly strengthens our position as a plant and equipment manufacturer. It drives innovation by providing access to research and multidisciplinary expertise. Thereby, our products can be improved. Since innovation is key in our industry, this is a very important factor,” explains Julia Stadler, CDO of the Stadler Group.

Stadler’s research collaborations break new ground in a wide range of fields, also helping to develop solutions for materials that present complexity for the recycling process. This is the case with textiles, which pose a challenge for recycling due to the extreme variety of materials and are currently predominantly incinerated or sent to landfill. STADLER has designed and built the first industrial-scale fully automated mixed textile waste plant in the world in Sweden and is actively involved in further research. It is taking part in projects such as “EOL-Model”, in which it is playing a key role in tests conducted at the Institute of Textile Technology (ITA) at RWTH Aachen University in collaboration with several companies along the textile recycling chain. The project uses near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to analyse textiles with a focus on mixed materials containing polyester. Amrei Becker, researcher at the ITA, explains: “Our tests were made possible thanks to Stadler. We were supported in the evaluation by the company’s experienced employees and were thus able to show that the NIR spectra of blended textiles actually differ and that different blends, for example, polyester and cotton, can be detected with accuracy in the low percentages.”

Paper is another material that presents its own challenges, and Stadler’s work with RWTH Aachen University on the EnEWA project, which started in 2021, is contributing to unlocking the untapped potential of obtaining recyclable paper from the lightweight packaging, residual and commercial waste streams.

Stadler is also very active in researching other sectors, such as plastic waste, where the process is well established, but still presents large potential for further improvement. Stadler is one of 18 research institutes, associations, and industrial partners participating in the ReVise-UP project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The objective of the project, which started in September 2023, is to improve the process efficiency of mechanical recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging waste through intelligent material flow management. It uses inline sensor technologies to track the path of plastic packaging after its use phase. ReVise-UP aims to achieve its objective by developing and demonstrating sensor-based material flow characterization methods on an industrial scale, with the recorded data streams intended to create incentives for better collection and recyclate quality.

Stadler is also collaborating with the international consultancy RecycleMe with the aim of determining the recyclability of packaging in a unique alliance along the recycling value chain. Through this partnership, Stadler’s Test and Innovation Centre in Slovenia offers customers of RecycleMe the opportunity to analyse the sorting behaviour of their packaging under current and real-life conditions. “Our cooperation with Stadler allows us to conduct sorting tests under the best conditions, using the latest technology, simulating the sorting process in practice and with representative packaging quantities,” says Sabrina Goebel, Managing Director at RecycleMe. “This will enable us to further increase the quality of the results in our recyclability analysis and optimization of packaging.”

Plastic food packaging is another area that presents particular challenges for the recycling process because it often consists of multiple layers of different polymers, each contributing a specific functionality to the overall packaging. The strong physical attachment of these layers means that separation to polymer level is not always possible, hindering mechanical recycling. Today, the main valorisation of these multilayer packages is through incineration with energy recovery. Stadler is taking part in a new Flemish project, Multi2Recycle (coordinated by Pack4Food), to evaluate the recyclability of multilayer flexible food packaging materials in function of their composition and the resulting shelf life of food products. Value chain thinking is central to the Multi2Recycle project.

Stadler’s wide-ranging approach to the global plastic waste issue extends beyond the established waste collection channels. In November 2023, it started a collaboration with everwave, the German start-up with the mission of combating plastic waste in rivers and oceans. The aim is to combine Stadler’s solutions in plant engineering with everwave’s holistic approach to protecting the environment from waste with a focus on emerging and developing countries. In this collaboration, Stadler will develop and test a flexible solution for a mobile sorting container in order to set up a low-threshold infrastructure for waste management.

Working with universities and schools is also important for Stadler, not only as an accelerator of innovation but also as a contribution to developing the experts of the future. These initiatives take different forms – from delivering lectures and seminars to creating practical and engaging learning experiences.

Stadler collaborates with several schools in Altshausen, where the company is headquartered. Willi Stadler explains: “Initiatives such as our new “Wissensfabrik” – The Knowledge Factory – joint project with the Herzog-Philipp-Verbandsschule elementary and middle school enable us to give children and young people an understanding of STEM professions. The majority of our apprentices come from these local schools, and the children of today are our experts of tomorrow. That’s why it is so important that we support the local and regional schools. The environmental problems and challenges must be approached in a future-oriented way and that is how we at Stadler act in everything we do.”

Another example of educational collaborations is the Stadler Summer School. The first edition was held at the company’s Test and Innovation Centre in Slovenia in September 2023 in partnership with Lindner Recyclingtech, Tomra Recycling and Steinert. During the 5-day session, the 15 participating students, coming from 7 universities, had the opportunity to independently set up and operate a complete process chain to convert the input material into appropriate product fractions. “The students’ and our partners’ commitment to innovation in sorting technology, resource efficiency and recycling equipment made this program exceptional,” comments Willi Stadler.

Aimplas concluded its second edition of Plasrec, the International Seminar on Plastics Recycling. A total of 160 professionals from the plastics recycling sector participated in the event. During the two-day conference, specialists discussed industry challenges and opportunities presented by sector organizations, European representatives and companies, who analysed the sector’s current context and presented their innovations designed to achieve the circularity of materials and plastic products.

In the first session, Laure Baillargeon, from the Circular Plastics Alliance, an initiative of the European Commission, explained that five million tonnes of recycled plastics are currently being produced, which is half the target set for 2025 and means that there is still much work to be done and many systemic changes to be made in the value chain. Carlos Prieto, from Plastic Energy, then commented on the complementary nature of mechanical and chemical recycling. In his presentation, he focused on the use of pyrolysis for waste such as PE, PP and PS. Oscar Hernandez, from Anarpla, highlighted the increase in the capacity of mechanical recycling in Europe, the lack of demand in 2023, the drop in prices and the need to continue working on sustainable demand, new applications, ecodesign and the appropriate certifications. Finally, Irene Mora, from Plastics Europe, presented a roadmap for the plastics industry towards the circular economy and decarbonization. She also stressed the importance of recycled materials, materials created from renewable sources such as biomass, and CO2 capture materials in achieving the circular economy and zero emissions in the sector.

In the second block, Yolanda Fuster, from Doeet MES, outlined the key points for ensuring traceability throughout the entire value chain of recycling using the MES system, which will also make it easier to obtain certifications. Guillem Perez, from Aritex, explained how the Internet of things can improve the implementation and efficiency measuring of processing plants. Fernando Molinuevo, from Mesbook, then highlighted the need to approach the digitalization of businesses in a global manner, including the kind of equipment installed, what is measured and the data to be obtained from proper digitalization. Lastly, Marien de Lint, from Filigrade, presented new methods, such as watermarks, to make it easier to identify complex waste and waste that is more difficult to identify using current methods, because these new methods can provide information on the polymer type, source of the waste and its composition.

In the third block, Adrian Morales, from AIMPLAS, spoke about trends and new mechanical recycling technologies for processing new waste streams and stressed the importance of developing and improving current technologies to promote recycling. Andreas Habrich, from Kubota Brabender, then presented an innovative system that makes polymer dosing easier for existing transformation equipment. Carlos Gómez, from Break Machinery, presented new filtering systems that maintain constant pressure in the spindle and during self-cleaning. He also presented a quick system for changing filters that considerably reduces the time spent by current systems. Finally, Isabel Arroyo, from Dow, demonstrated the advances in film plastic circularity and the development of compatibilizers for PE/EVOH materials with the commitment of having all their products designed to be recycled by 2024. The day ended with two workshops on the projects SOL-REC2 and Red Osiris, in which their latest technological advances were presented.

The second day of PLASREC started with a talk by Mireia Fernandez, from AIMPLAS. She discussed the opportunities that come from chemical recycling of complex streams of elastomers, thermosets, textiles and multilayers, as well as innovations in energy efficiency and microwave-assisted processes (solvolysis and pyrolysis), solvent-free processes (mechanochemistry to put chemical recycling on a par with mechanical recycling), partial depolymerization and enzymatic recycling. Sixto Arnaiz, from GAIKER, then presented the PLASTIC2 MONOMER Project, which focuses on alternatives to chemical recycling of complex PET waste. His presentation was followed by Daniel Campo, from BASF, who discussed his research on different chemical recycling technologies with the aim of recovering polyols from used polyurethane mattresses, as well as dissolution processes for eliminating additives and colour from waste from the textile industry, gasification processes for mixed waste to obtain methanol, and pyrolysis processes such as ChemCycling. Campo also highlighted the importance of mass balance. Jorge Avila, from Intecsa, announced the future implementation of three microwave-assisted solvolysis plants in Spain for treating PET and other polyesters. Virginie Bussières, from Pyrowave, spoke about the processes of eliminating contaminants such as inks, additives and other fillers using electrification processes with chemical and physical recycling so they can be marketed as recycled materials for different applications.

In the following block, Jose Antonio Alarcon, from Petcore, discussed the topic of PET recycling and identified the main barriers to PET circularity, the most important ones being collection and uses for the recycled material.

Alarcón highlighted the complementarity of mechanical and chemical recycling processes, the problems of using recycled products for food contact packaging and the presence of NIAS. Salome Beneyto and Laura Santos, from Ateval, discussed problems related to waste in the textile industry, such as multi-fibres, raw materials, the use of chemicals, the generation of wastewater, the mixture of materials, finishes after manufacturing and use itself. It was also mentioned that life cycle analysis has identified manufacturing and use as the stages with the greatest impact. Spain’s potential in mechanical recycling was highlighted, as well as the importance of continuing to work on separation, traceability and other recycling processes. Pilar Martin-Luengo and Julio Marinas, from the Spanish Consortium of Rubber, spoke about the need to continue working, given the legislative tsunami and to continue searching for solutions for dealing with rubber waste that is less prevalent than tyre waste. The last speaker was Alejandro Navazas, from Euric, who addressed the challenges of the tyre sector, such as applicable legislation and the prohibition to be enforced in eight years’ time of using shredded rubber in football and sports fields and which could lead to waste being exported outside the EU.

The seminar concluded with a block in which the companies and organizations Leistritz, Carburos Metálicos, UBE, Sabic and Universität Leipzig presented their most advanced techniques for improving recycling processes.

PLASREC was sponsored by Gravipes, Kubota Brabender, Raorsa, Leistritz, Break Machinery, Anarpla, Fontijne Presses, the ReMade@ARI Project, FIMIC, Eversia, Carburos Metálicos and Promak.

Levenseat, a Scottish resource management company operating since 1985, faced a challenge: one of their waste treatment and energy generation facilities for municipal waste covers nearly 3,000 square meters, and the materials delivered for sorting are constantly in motion. As a result, the previously employed methods, primarily visual estimation upon delivery and counting of incoming trucks, were inadequate for accurately determining inventory levels. This led to adverse effects in various areas.

Low Efficiency and Heightened Safety Concerns

The lack of inventory information resulted in inefficient processes and made operations vulnerable to disruptions. For example, when material accumulated too much in the storage facility due to process delays, such as outages, safety risks increased. The larger volume of waste heightened the risk of fires, pushed storage capacity to its limits, and necessitated the diversion of trucks to other locations, negatively impacting logistical efficiency.
Conversely, at times, underutilization of storage space resulted in missed opportunities. Available processing resources were not fully utilized, leading to lower production levels than could have been achieved, ultimately reflected in the numbers. Therefore, a more accurate technology for inventory tracking needed to be identified and implemented.

Inventory Tracking with Lidar

The choice was made for a Volume Monitoring solution from the Munich-based Lidar manufacturer Blickfeld, installed by Quvo, Blickfeld’s exclusive partner for the waste and recycling industry in the UK and Northern Ireland. The Blickfeld solution is based on Lidar technology (“Light Detection and Ranging”) and provides real-time material data. This works by Lidar sensors emitting several hundred thousand laser pulses per second across a large field of view, systematically scanning the surroundings. From this, 3D surface images are created, and a perception software accurately calculates the volume.

Despite the enormous dimensions of the facility, only four Blickfeld Lidar sensors, model “Cube 1”, mounted on the ceiling are sufficient to collect the data. This data is then made accessible to the employees via user-friendly dashboards.

More Efficient Processes and Reduced Safety Risks

Thanks to the Lidar-based inventory tracking, Levenseat was able to increase efficiency in the storage area and logistics processes. Workflows are now smoother, truck scheduling is more precise, processing machine utilization has been optimized, and processing delays have been minimized.

Furthermore, Levenseat is now capable of proactively addressing safety risks, such as an increased fire hazard due to facility overcrowding. Due to these advantages, which quickly became evident after the installation in the first facility, there are already plans for further implementations of Lidar technology. Levenseat is already working on equipping a second location, with more to follow.

Inhalers alone are estimated to account for 4% of all NHS CO₂ emissions and, with approximately 73 million inhalers dispensed every year, being able to capture those greenhouse gases is seen as an important step towards carbon cutting goals.

By 2026, the health service is expected to deliver a 50% reduction in carbon emissions produced from waste management, according to targets set out in the NHS Clinical Waste Strategy. Between 2028-2032 that figure rises to 80%.

Chris Edwards, Grundon’s General Manager – Technical, said: “This scheme is a potential game-changer for NHS Trusts as they work towards increased carbon savings and net zero. “Every pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler (pMDI) thrown away is full of hugely polluting hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases – a type of greenhouse gas known to be over a thousand times worse than carbon dioxide in contributing to climate change.

“This scheme safely captures those gases and repurposes them for use in the refrigeration industry, where they are used to replace the need for manufactured gases. And, because we are also recycling the plastic and aluminium from the device, we are making a significant contribution to the circular economy.”

Currently, most inhalers are either thrown away in household general waste or returned to pharmacies for incineration as clinical waste. NHS Trusts, high street chemists and pharmacies who sign up to the new scheme will have dedicated recycling containers for inhalers installed across their hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare settings, with the aim of making it as easy as possible for the public to participate.

Once collected, these will be processed at Grundon’s specialist recycling facility in Ewelme, Oxfordshire, which is capable of handling more than 200,000 inhalers a day.
The nationwide rollout of the return and recycling service follows successful trials with a number of NHS Trusts and Health Boards across England and Wales.

One of these was Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB), which came on board in February, launching a pilot take-back project for inhaler recycling across eight pharmacies, using patient education and promotional material to encourage people to return used or unwanted inhalers to their pharmacy.

Its aim is to recycle 80% of all prescribed inhalers by 2025 and Oliver Newman, Assistant Divisional Manager, Pharmacy & Medicines Management at SBUHB says there has already been a positive response from patients.

“We’re extremely pleased to be the first in Wales to lead on an inhaler recycling project of this kind; with a positive uptake, we are hoping to roll out the scheme across our own health board,” he said. “The results of our project are going to be fundamental in assisting Welsh Government’s decision for inhaler recycling opportunities across Wales.

“It is estimated that Metered Dose Inhalers currently contribute to approximately 4% of the carbon footprint of the NHS, therefore it is vital that we ensure inhalers we dispense are disposed of in the most appropriate way, such as through recycling methods provided by Grundon Waste Management.”

The Inhaler Recycling Pilot Project used Welsh Government funding to establish the contract with Grundon. NHS Wales Chief Executive Judith Paget said: “As one of the largest public sector emitters of CO₂e, the NHS must act now to reduce its environmental impact and be an exemplar in taking steps to protect the health and wellbeing of future generations.”

Grundon’s innovative inhaler recycling technology has already been used in two previous projects run by major pharmaceutical companies. The Take AIR (Action for Inhaler Recycling) was a Chiesi Ltd funded scheme supported by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and Leicestershire and Rutland Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC). Run between February 2021 and February 2023, the scheme saw 52,148 inhalers returned through the post over a 24-month period.

The project, which took place in community pharmacies and three hospitals across Leicestershire, was estimated to have saved the equivalent of 305.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from entering the atmosphere.

Grundon also worked with GSK on its Complete the Cycle inhaler recycling scheme, which ran for nearly a decade. In 2018 alone in excess of 3 million inhalers were recycled, saving CO₂ emissions equivalent to removing 16,174 cars off UK roads for that year.

Chris Edwards concluded: “These projects and trials have shown there is a clear willingness to recycle inhalers, but the stumbling block has always been how to fund a nationwide collection, treatment and recycling programme.

“The financial and environmental incentives to do more are now there, clearly set out in the new NHS Clinical Waste Strategy. We are confident that NHS Trusts and Health Boards will recognise the benefits this programme can deliver in helping them to achieve these essential carbon reduction savings from waste and work towards net zero.”

Now, as a decade unfolds, the Green Alley Award is once again in search of circular economy startups in the fields of recycling, waste prevention and digital solutions. Applications will be open until 20th November 2023 and startups have the chance to win €25,000. 

The impact of the Green Alley Award has been truly significant, as demonstrated by the submission of more than 1,600 groundbreaking ideas, all competing to win the €25,000 prize. Notably, within this diverse pool of applicants, it is important to highlight that in recent years, 40% are female founders.   

Throughout its journey, the Green Alley Award has dedicated more than €1.3 million in funding, recognized 54 finalists, and celebrated the successes of multiple winners coming from several European countries like Finland, Germany, Italy, UK, and Ukraine. By doing so, it has actively nurtured young entrepreneurs while also connecting them with an extensive network of circular economy experts. 

“We initiated the Green Alley Award ten years ago to support entrepreneurs that take on circular economy challenges” says Jan Patrick Schulz, CEO of Landbell Group and founder of the Green Alley Award. “As we gather to celebrate this milestone, we also look towards the horizon—and a new decade full of possibilities. Our commitment remains steadfast: to nurture, inspire, and elevate circular economy startups that will continue to drive change, push boundaries, and lead the way towards a more sustainable future.” 

The Application Process  

1. Startups are invited to submit their application by 20th November 2023 online at https://green-alley-award.com/apply/. 
2. A pre-selected number of startups will be announced on the Green Alley Award website for a public vote. The startup with the majority of the votes will be automatically amongst the six finalists. The remaining five will be selected by an expert committee. 
3. In April 2024, the six finalists will be invited to Berlin, where they will participate in working sessions with high-ranking circular economy experts and startup mentors. In the evening each of the finalists will have the chance to pitch their idea live on stage to an expert jury and international audience. The winner of the finals will receive prize money of €25,000. At the after party there will be the opportunity for networking and making new business contacts. 

]]> https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2023/09/13/applications-for-2024-green-alley-award-open/feed/ 0 ]]> https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2023/08/22/making-weee-circular-everywhere/ https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2023/08/22/making-weee-circular-everywhere/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2023 08:00:05 +0000 https://www.recycling-magazine.com/?p=38227 E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams. While many industrialised countries have developed appropriate systems for dealing with this waste, there is still a lot of catching up to do, especially in lower-income countries]]>

In the report “Toward a Circular Economy for the Electronics Sector in Central and Eastern Europe”, the project “Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)” aims to show how a circular
economy for EEE can also be established in these countries.

High-income countries have an established infrastructure and the knowledge to manage e-waste. In low- and middle-income countries, on the other hand, the consumption of electrical and electronic equipment has grown rapidly recently, but the infrastructure is either still in its infancy or non-existent. The study therefore focuses on four countries in Central and Eastern Europe: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Georgia, and Moldova.

Bulgaria has the second-highest GDP per capita of the countries in focus. However, it ranks last among EU member states, with 55 per cent of the average GDP per capita. Over the past three decades, the country has moved from a centralised and planned economy to an open, market-based economy. The report notes that Bulgaria has strong traditions in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, mechatronics and automation. The Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) is responsible for waste management. It is responsible for transposing EU legislation into national law. At national level, there are 16 regional authorities. The report also states that the country has had a strategy and action plan for the transition to a circular economy since 2012, which includes e-waste. However, the separate collection of e-waste has to be implemented with producers and importers. The latter have set up seven organisations to fulfil their obligations. The relevant EU regulation on e-waste is currently being transposed into national legislation. In 2017, 7.7 kg of e-waste per inhabitant were collected. This amount met the collection targets. However, the report explains that the amount of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market is underestimated. In addition, quantities are not always adequately reported due to treatment by the informal sector. Bulgaria‘s recycling rate is 2.3 per cent (2019), one of the lowest in the EU. The country also ranks last in the EU in the eco-innovation index. This is therefore an issue that needs to be addressed in the future.

Beyond the mandatory provisions of the Ecodesign Directive, the country has no specific policy focusing on circular design strategies. The production of WEEE accounts for only five per cent of the value added by the manufacturing sector in Bulgaria. The main products are electric motors, generators, transformers and electrical distribution equipment, batteries, wires and cables, lamps and lighting products. The amount of electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market in 2017 was 75.8 kt (10.6 kg per capita). The vast majority of these (72 per cent) were large household appliances. The report further states that Bulgarians are still mainly motivated by price when making purchasing decisions. There is also a lack of knowledge about efficiency and eco labels. As a result, the market for environmentally friendly products is underdeveloped. However, it is also noted that the country has a long tradition of repairing products. Consumers are still willing to repair their damaged goods if the cost is lower than buying a new product. Bulgaria has an e-waste collection rate of 66 per cent. The high collection rate is attributed to regular household collection campaigns. However, it is also assumed that some e-waste collected from businesses and institutions is reported as collected from households. There are several e-waste treatment companies in the country, which need a permit from the MOEW and local authorities. In 2018, the recycling rate was 66.7 per cent, much higher than the EU average of 41.2 per cent.

The report suggests a better dialogue between science and industry, which has been rather weak so far. There is also a need to better inform consumers to motivate them to buy more sustainable electrical and electronic equipment. The market for repair and refurbishment services also needs to be stimulated. The database needs to be improved. It is recommended that the government should not only rely on data from collection schemes and waste management companies. Certification of EoL operators in accordance with the EN 50625 standard is also recommended. With a GDP of USD 22,943 per capita, the Czech Republic is now considered a high-income country. EEE production is dominated by large international producers. The Ministry of the Environment (MoE) is responsible for waste management. There are also regional authorities. The Czech Republic transposed the WEEE Directive into national law in 2005. “The country has a well-functioning e-waste collection system with a dense network of collection points at municipal level and services provided to consumers, which enabled the country to achieve a collection rate of 57 per cent of the e-waste generated in 2018,” the report says. The country‘s recycling rate is 8.3 per cent below the EU average. In terms of eco-innovation performance, the country ranks 15th. In 2018, 196.9 kt of electrical and electronic equipment was placed on the market, equivalent to 18.6 kg per capita. As in many other countries, repair activities have declined – mainly due to the amount of cheap new products on the market. However, there are some initiatives. The amount of e-waste generated in 2018 was 164.00 kt (15.5 kg per capita). The collection rate in the same year was 57 per cent, below the current EU target of 65 per cent. The recycling rate was 43.6 per cent. The country has treatment facilities for most categories of e-waste. As mentioned in the report, there are challenges related to the increasing volumes of e-waste and rising labour costs. In addition, there is no market for recycled plastic parts from WEEE.

EPR for WEEE has been well established in the Czech Republic since 2005. According to the report, PROs are mandatory. The national WEEE Directive provides for the free take-back of WEEE. Awareness-raising activities are also part of the PROs‘ obligations. Producers must finance the collection, transport, handling, treatment and disposal of separately collected WEEE. PROs collect fees from producers, which are refinanced by consumers when they purchase electrical and electronic equipment. “Since 2021, it has been mandatory in the Czech Republic to make this fee transparent for customers as a ‘visible fee’ at the time of purchase.” There are five PROs that can collect all categories of WEEE. Other PROs focus on certain categories only.

The report suggests that the Czech Republic could initiate or support ecodesign initiatives and implement ecodesign requirements.

It also recommends the introduction of tax incentives for repair shops and the removal of legal barriers to reuse. The study also points out that stricter regulations for the transport and handling of equipment could be helpful.

Georgia, with a population of 3.7 million, has a GDP per capita of USD 5,016. The country has little local production of electrical and electronic equipment, the majority is imported from European countries. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture is responsible for waste management. The report states that the country has a well-established legal framework for waste. Georgia has ratified an Association Agreement with the EU, which requires the harmonisation of national legislation with the Waste Management Directive and the Landfill Directive. In 2020, an EPR system was applied to specific waste streams, including waste electronic batteries and accumulators.

The country generated 25.5 kt of e-waste in 2018 (6.9 kg per capita). However, there is no infrastructure for e-waste collection, so most of the waste ends up in landfills. On the other hand, reuse and repair are common practices in Georgia because the costs are low.

As Moldova is not a member of the EU, there is no data available on the country‘s eco-innovation performance and material use rate. Eco-design principles are not part of the national legal framework or private initiatives. In 2018, 40.5 kt of electrical and electronic equipment were placed on the market (10.9 kg per capita).

The collection of e-waste is the responsibility of municipalities. Companies must have a waste management plan and work with companies that have a treatment licence. “For the collection of e-waste generated by companies, the situation appears to be better than for e-waste from private households where, because of the very limited awareness of the population, little or no separation of e-waste occurs,” the report points out. E-waste is mainly handled by the informal sector. There is also no infrastructure for the final treatment of e-waste.

It suggests that the government establish and enforce the legal basis for sound e-waste management and eco-design principles. Other recommendations include incentives for repair and reuse, adequate infrastructure for collection, repair and recycling, and support for the establishment of local pre-treatment companies. There is also a need for consumer awareness campaigns. The population of Moldova was 2.63 million in 2020. The GDP per capita was USD 4,523. Most of the country‘s electrical and electronic equipment is imported. However, there are a few international companies in the country. In 2019, 30.3 kt were placed on the market. However, there are no statistics on e-waste generation. In theory, PROs should organise, manage and coordinate the separate collection of e-waste from private households. However, the infrastructure is not sufficient and there are no official operators for the pre-treatment of e-waste. The report notes that by legally requiring producers to register with the country‘s EPR and setting collection targets, the country has made significant progress towards the sound financing of e-waste management and treatment. The report suggests that the country should adopt legislation such as the EU‘s Ecodesign Directive. The country should also try to maintain its repair culture and encourage formalised and authorised repair services. There is also a need to develop a sound e-waste management system. It should consider whether it makes sense to continue exporting collected e-waste or to establish a national technical infrastructure.

Taking place on 28-29 November 2023 in Cologne, Germany, and online, the Advanced Recycling Conference will introduce the diversity of advanced recycling solutions.

The Advanced Recycling Conference takes place on 28–29 November 2023, in Cologne, Germany (hybrid event). The concept of presenting all advanced recycling solutions and related topics at one event will guarantee a comprehensive conference experience, covering technologies such as extrusion, dissolution, solvolysis, enzymolysis, pyrolysis, thermal depolymerisation, gasification, and incineration with Carbon Capture Utilisation (CCU).

The ARC welcomes technology providers, related industries, waste management companies, brands, investors as well as policy makers and scientists working in the diverse and interdisciplinary field of recycling. By bringing together all relevant topics and experts, the event will provide a framework for new partnerships, ideas, approaches, and value chains.

Deadline for submission: 30 August 2023

Submit your abstract now: https://advanced-recycling.eu/call-for-abstracts/

The newly conceived PET bottle-to-bottle recycling system, Recostar PET art scores not only with 25 % less energy consumption compared to the previous model, it also requires 46 % less maintenance time, has a 21 % smaller machine footprint, and a production output increase of 15 %. In total, bottle-to-bottle recyclers can save about 21 % in production cost with the new system.

A detailed study by Minderoo Foundation and undertaken with legal firm Clyde & Co and Praedicat, a liability risk consultancy, shows that plastic’s range of harmful impacts could trigger potentially colossal liability claims against the petrochemical industry, which manufactures the polymers and chemical additives used in plastic.

Just as oil and gas companies are now starting to be held legally and financially accountable for the climate change impact of their products and chemical companies for damaging the environment and human health (e.g. PFAS, glyphosate), a new wave of litigation is expected to emerge around plastics.

The report finds that just like fossil fuel companies and the climate impact of their products, plastic producers and distributers create the most extreme negative nature and human harming externalities ever witnessed in the history of mankind—a price borne by every child, woman, and man on this planet.

Legal action is expected to centre on the US, where the study forecasts corporate liabilities from plastics litigation triggered in 2022-30 could exceed $20 billion. Future claims, beyond 2030, could be an order of magnitude larger.

The research is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme’s Finance Initiative.

• The study finds that manufacturers of chemical additives used in plastics, many of which have well-established, harmful links to human health, are the most exposed to litigation risk.
• Also exposed are manufacturers of plastic polymers, whose products ultimately degrade into micro- and nanoplastic particles, which persist in the environment for decades, entering the human food chain. They are rapidly emerging as major public health and environmental threats.
• These companies have been protected against financial consequences by the complexity of attributing pollution back to its source, but scientific methods and legal doctrines are evolving; plastic pollution liabilities are expected to follow.
• The plastics industry, shareholders, insurers, and regulators need to work urgently together to disclose the scale of exposures and liabilities to date, to prevent further damage and set aside the resources necessary to deal with the consequences.

Download the report

Using recycled substances (known as recyclates) saves up to 70% of the resources that would be required to make the material from brand-new plastic. This singles recyclates out as a sustainable source of plastic.

Sustainability of recyclates

The use of recyclates in technical applications offers huge potential for CO2 savings. Currently, there tends to be a reticence to use recyclates in technically demanding applications because the necessary characteristic values for the service life are generally not known. Working together in partnership, Bosch, BSH and Fraunhofer LBF carried out extensive investigations into the morphological and mechanical properties of a polypropylene recyclate and compared the results with the brand-new material that is currently in use.

Material

The recyclate originated from used starter battery housings, and was compounded and optimized — from a usage requirements perspective — by Bosch and BSB (a recycling company located in Braubach). This involved comminuting, cleaning and drying the polypropylene housings. In a subsequent compounding process, the molten material was filtered; mixed with additives, stabilizers and fillers (in this case: 30% talcum by weight); and then granulated.

Material properties

To gain a better understanding of the differences between the properties of recyclate and brand-new material, extensive analytical and mechanical investigations were carried out on material samples. From an analytical perspective, the molar mass distribution, the degree of crystallinity and the level of contamination by metals or foreign polymers were investigated, for example. Meanwhile, mechanical investigations were used to examine how the service life was affected by the interplay of static and cyclic loading on notches and the joint line, as well as the temperature, load ratio and aging. To ensure that the recyclate and brand-new material were comprehensively characterized for the planned intended use, 250 static tensile tests and 450 fatigue strength tests were carried out.

Application

In the context of household appliances, the recyclate could potentially be used as a substitute for the brand-new material that is currently being employed to make injection-molded dishwasher bases. Due to its dimensions (600 x 400 x 100 mm³) and weight of 2 kg, the base can make a huge contribution toward creating a more sustainable overall system if recyclates are used instead of brand-new material. To enable the use of recyclates in the base, various aspects had to be verified, such as the cyclic strength of the most highly stressed area of a bearing dome. This bearing dome is cyclically stressed up to 100,000 times due to the opening and closing that takes place during operation.

Estimation of the service life

Using numeric calculations, the mechanical properties that had been determined from the sample tests were processed so that they could be incorporated into the concept of the most highly stressed volume of material V80 and the concept of the stress gradient χ*. With the aid of component tests and numeric calculations, the level of stress withstandable by the recyclate was compared with the stress withstand capacity identified in the sample tests. This revealed that the recyclate likewise had the structural durability to withstand the cyclic load exerted on the component during operation when measured according to both concepts.

Sustainability and resource savings

Assuming an annual production volume of 3 million units, approximately 2500 metric tons of crude oil (an inland water vessel with a length of 110 m) can be saved per year due to the resource savings associated with the recyclate. This can make a major contribution to achieving sustainable household appliances.

ICM: Can you tell me about Veolia’s hazardous waste activities and battery recycling in particular?

Jean-François Nogrette: Veolia has been involved in hazardous waste management for 50 years and it’s now one of our core and fastest growing activities with important expansions in Europe, Asia and North America. It’s the reason why battery recycling is not a brand-new topic for us. We started to work on the recycling of alkaline batteries 30 years ago, to then leverage our knowledge to follow the market evolution, and offer solutions to larger battery packs, coming from electric vehicles.

Battery recycling is essential for three main reasons:

• First, the battery is one of the major contributors to the environmental footprint of an electric vehicle. Recycling is a key benefit to drastically reducing this footprint and realizing the full benefits of decarbonizing electric mobility.
• In the long term, resource supply may become an issue in some territories, depending on geopolitical fluctuations. Developing recycling programs can reduce our dependence by increasing self-sufficiency in strategic metals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.
• Finally, batteries can be a threat to the environment and the people who handle them, as they contain chemicals and are highly flammable. Proper management of their recycling is therefore mandatory to avoid accidents and mitigate any form of risk.

What are you bringing to this market? Why should customers choose Veolia?

Jean-François Nogrette: At Veolia we are working closely with our partners to close the loop in their supply chain, to comply with future regulations and to develop a secure and local procurement of raw materials.

Here are some examples of services to help our customers solve some of their key challenges:

The security of a proven process includes high robustness and tolerance to variability, but also operator safety.

A “glocal” network, whatever your location in the world, while we are committed to the quality of our local services and the deployment of the associated workforce, also pools activities to further reduce transportation and processing costs.

A tailored partnership as Veolia is committed to creating lasting and fruitful relationships with its partners and customers. Our partnerships, whether in the form of strategic alliances, joint ventures, or otherwise, are built on trust and transparency to deliver real results.

And finally, ongoing R & D projects, carried out in-house or with partners like Solvay, ensure the continuous improvement of recycling processes and technologies.

What is the potential you see for this market for Veolia? Where do you see growth in particular?

Jean-François Nogrette: Veolia currently has 3 operational sites in China and Europe with the capacity to process 30,000 tonnes of batteries, corresponding to approximately 100,000 EV batteries. That is only the beginning, and the group has the ambition to become a leader in this market, with five other sites planned in different regions for the next few years.

Our first-of-a-kind industrial scale hydrometallurgical plant will start operating next year, allowing us to expand our possibilities and offer a wide range of services, from battery disassembly to high grade metallic salt production.

Gigafactories will probably be the first to need important recycling capacities due to the large amount of scraps incoming from battery production processes. Strong relationship with those companies is therefore important to scale up the activity before the arrival of larger volumes from end-of-life electric vehicles.

What are the challenges you need to meet?

Jean-François Nogrette: The biggest challenges for the recycling industry will be to meet the strong regulatory requirements. We are dedicatedly working to ensure that our processes comply with regulatory evolution and that our recycled products will be perfectly suitable for new battery production.

Positive message for the future?

Jean-François Nogrette: The challenge is to keep pace with manufacturers’ innovations. The materials used to design the batteries for tomorrow’s electric vehicles will have to be increasingly efficient in terms of quality and vehicle range. Manufacturers must constantly renew their products, and we must continuously reinvent our know-how to enhance the end-of-life value of these batteries. We are ready to take up this challenge to make electric mobility ever more sustainable.