Periodic Reporting for period 3 - CIRCULAR FLOORING (New products from waste PVC flooring and safe end-of-life treatment of plasticisers)
Reporting period: 2022-06-01 to 2024-08-31
The presence of legacy additives is a significant obstacle to PVC recycling, as there are currently no effective solutions for their removal. While the material itself is inherently well-suited for recycling the presence of legacy additives remains a major challenge, and this results in a low recycling rate for PVC compared to other plastics.This includes the strongly plasticized PVC in flexible products. In total, 26% of all PVC waste could not be recovered, was landfilled, and therefore not reintegrated into the economy. This shows that there is still room for improvement in PVC recycling. CIRCULAR FLOORING aims to create a circular economy for plasticized PVC (PVC-P) from waste flooring. The project develops recycling processes to eliminate harmful plasticizers, such as DEHP, and produce high-quality recycled PVC. The recovered plasticizers are reprocessed into new, phthalate-free plasticizers. Additionally, recycled polymers and additives can be reused in new flooring applications. Throughout the project, the economic,ecological, health, and safety implications of delivering a sustainable solution for a circular economy of waste PVC flooring were assessed.
Within CIRCULAR FLOORING, the dissolution-based recycling process was tailored to the specific requirements of plasticized PVC (PVC-P) from flooring and the process could be upscaled to TRL 6 at Fraunhofer IVV in Freising with throughput rates of 15-20 kg/h flooring waste.Stable depletion rates of phthalate plasticizers of <99% were reached. Thus, according to ANNEX XIV list of the EU regulation 1907/2006 (REACH), the threshold limit of 0,1 w% for DEHP, DBP, BBP, and DIBP in novel applications was successfully met in each plasticizer species. For the first time, significant quantities of pure recycled PVC-P, free of foreign polymers and hazardous compounds, were produced and could be successfully restabilized and plasticized for second-life applications.
Catalytic hydrogenation is a well-established method for producing diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), a non-phthalate plasticizer that has become a substitute for phthalate-based plasticizers in Europe. The CIRCULAR FLOORING project developed a method to upcycle harmful phthalate plasticizers from PVC waste into valuable, non-phthalate plasticizers like DINCH. A combined transesterification-hydrogenation process, combined with a pre-treatment step, enabled the complete conversion of these waste-derived phthalates into safe, reusable cyclohexanedicarboxylates.
The CIRCULAR FLOORING project has shown that the integration of recycled PVC (rPVC) into floor coverings is not only possible, but also promising. By developing new, sustainable floor coverings with a high proportion of recycled material, important steps have been taken towards a circular economy for PVC. In particular, the use of rPVC in the bottom layer of heterogeneous PVC floor coverings, such as Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), has proven to be particularly suitable. The first production tests have shown that rPVC can be successfully integrated into the production process. Although there were some challenges in processing rPVC, such as achieving a homogeneous mixture and adjusting the processing parameters, these were successfully overcome through targeted measures..
A cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of the CIRCULAR FLOORING system. The results indicate that the production of 1 m² of CIRCULAR FLOORING PVC generates approximately 13 kg CO2-eq/m² regarding Global Warming Potential (GWP). At the industrial scale, the dissolution-based recycling process contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact, accounting for approximately 20% of the total GWP. The remaining 65% of the effect is attributed to the flooring production process. Key contributors to the environmental impact of the dissolution-based recycling process include solvent and anti-solvent usage at the lab and pilot scales (70% and 46% of GWP, respectively) and energy consumption at the industrial scale (65% of GWP).
A comprehensive economic analysis indicates the project is economically feasible, with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) exceeding 10%. This feasibility is contingent upon achieving a selling price for recycled PVC (rPVC) above €1.34/kg and plasticizers above €2.50/kg. Notably, the projected price for rPVC aligns with the market price of virgin PVC, making the CIRCULAR FLOORING business case viable. The economic feasibility of the dissolution-based recycling process was assessed for three different capacity scenarios: 10,000 t/y, 15,000 t/y, and 30,000 t/y. While the lowest capacity scenario was deemed unprofitable, doubling the capacity to 30,000 t/y resulted in a highly feasible scenario, with a Net Present Value (NPV) exceeding €100 million and an IRR of over 32%. This scenario assumes a selling price of €1.34/kg for rPVC.
Catalytic hydrogenation is a well-established method for producing diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), a non-phthalate plasticizer that has become a substitute for phthalate-based plasticizers in Europe. The CIRCULAR FLOORING project developed a method to upcycle harmful phthalate plasticizers from PVC waste into valuable, non-phthalate plasticizers like DINCH. A combined transesterification-hydrogenation process, combined with a pre-treatment step, enabled the complete conversion of these waste-derived phthalates into safe, reusable cyclohexanedicarboxylates.
The CIRCULAR FLOORING project has shown that the integration of recycled PVC (rPVC) into floor coverings is not only possible, but also promising. By developing new, sustainable floor coverings with a high proportion of recycled material, important steps have been taken towards a circular economy for PVC. In particular, the use of rPVC in the bottom layer of heterogeneous PVC floor coverings, such as Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), has proven to be particularly suitable. The first production tests have shown that rPVC can be successfully integrated into the production process. Although there were some challenges in processing rPVC, such as achieving a homogeneous mixture and adjusting the processing parameters, these were successfully overcome through targeted measures..
A cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of the CIRCULAR FLOORING system. The results indicate that the production of 1 m² of CIRCULAR FLOORING PVC generates approximately 13 kg CO2-eq/m² regarding Global Warming Potential (GWP). At the industrial scale, the dissolution-based recycling process contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact, accounting for approximately 20% of the total GWP. The remaining 65% of the effect is attributed to the flooring production process. Key contributors to the environmental impact of the dissolution-based recycling process include solvent and anti-solvent usage at the lab and pilot scales (70% and 46% of GWP, respectively) and energy consumption at the industrial scale (65% of GWP).
A comprehensive economic analysis indicates the project is economically feasible, with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) exceeding 10%. This feasibility is contingent upon achieving a selling price for recycled PVC (rPVC) above €1.34/kg and plasticizers above €2.50/kg. Notably, the projected price for rPVC aligns with the market price of virgin PVC, making the CIRCULAR FLOORING business case viable. The economic feasibility of the dissolution-based recycling process was assessed for three different capacity scenarios: 10,000 t/y, 15,000 t/y, and 30,000 t/y. While the lowest capacity scenario was deemed unprofitable, doubling the capacity to 30,000 t/y resulted in a highly feasible scenario, with a Net Present Value (NPV) exceeding €100 million and an IRR of over 32%. This scenario assumes a selling price of €1.34/kg for rPVC.
Especially in times of supply chain shortages and crisis, more companies search for ways to work in a circular economy. With an upscaling of the dissolution-based recyling and hydrogenation process, CIRCULAR FLOORING showed the feasibility to prevent valuable raw materials from being incinerated or landfilled and thus increase the recycling rate and the circular economy. This is the basis to showcase and stimulate the industry to start recycling PVC flooring waste without obstacles. This will contribute to the SPIRE PPP “target of 20% reduction in non-renewable and primary raw material intensity” by producing less virgin PVC and thus reducing CO2 emissions and the consumption of crude oil.
The resilient flooring sector is navigating several significant challenges, with the circular economy playing a pivotal role in its future strategies. European legislation, including the Green Deal, largely driven this shift, which emphasizes sustainability across industries. Key regulatory requirements like green public procurement demand an increasing amount of recycled content in products, and the revised Construction Products Regulation mandates the declaration of environmental performance. These measures are designed to foster more sustainable practices across the sector. At the same time, the industry is grappling with a Europe-wide downturn in construction, which affects both new building projects and renovation efforts. This economic slowdown challenges the flooring sector, which relies heavily on construction activity. Initiatives like the CIRCULAR FLOORING are instrumental in helping the industry meet the heightened demands for recycled content and embracing circular economy principles. By promoting recycling, reuse, and resource efficiency, such projects align with broader regulatory and market trends, helping the sector move toward a more sustainable and resilient future. During the project period of CIRCULAR FLOORING, it was shown that the volume of PVC waste from flooring with app. 400.000 t/a justifies recycling. According to the current state of the art, no mature process enables the separation of phthalate plasticizers during PVC recycling than the solvent-based process. Should the PVC (processing) industry take the legal requirements for “recycling content” seriously, there is no way around the process described. This would create the demand that is a central condition for implementation on an industrial scale (TRL 8-9).
The resilient flooring sector is navigating several significant challenges, with the circular economy playing a pivotal role in its future strategies. European legislation, including the Green Deal, largely driven this shift, which emphasizes sustainability across industries. Key regulatory requirements like green public procurement demand an increasing amount of recycled content in products, and the revised Construction Products Regulation mandates the declaration of environmental performance. These measures are designed to foster more sustainable practices across the sector. At the same time, the industry is grappling with a Europe-wide downturn in construction, which affects both new building projects and renovation efforts. This economic slowdown challenges the flooring sector, which relies heavily on construction activity. Initiatives like the CIRCULAR FLOORING are instrumental in helping the industry meet the heightened demands for recycled content and embracing circular economy principles. By promoting recycling, reuse, and resource efficiency, such projects align with broader regulatory and market trends, helping the sector move toward a more sustainable and resilient future. During the project period of CIRCULAR FLOORING, it was shown that the volume of PVC waste from flooring with app. 400.000 t/a justifies recycling. According to the current state of the art, no mature process enables the separation of phthalate plasticizers during PVC recycling than the solvent-based process. Should the PVC (processing) industry take the legal requirements for “recycling content” seriously, there is no way around the process described. This would create the demand that is a central condition for implementation on an industrial scale (TRL 8-9).