Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CIRCULAR FLOORING (New products from waste PVC flooring and safe end-of-life treatment of plasticisers)
Période du rapport: 2020-12-01 au 2022-05-31
CIRCULAR FLOORING aims to enable a circular use of plasticized PVC from post-consumer flooring by developing recycling processes that eliminate legacy plasticizers such as DEHP. We aim to demonstrate the production of high-quality recycled PVC, reprocessing of plasticizers to new phthalate-free plasticizers and the re-use of recycled PVC in new flooring applications. Post-consumer flooring will be subjected to the CreaSolv® Process, which dissolves PVC from the material mix and eliminates undissolved matter and co-dissolved plasticizers in an extractive purification step. PVC is recovered from the solution via precipitation. The PVC is then reincorporated into new products. Using a controlled catalytic reaction, extracted harmful plasticizers will be converted to harmless compounds with plasticizing properties. Together with a tailor-made additives composition, both recovered products are integrated into novel PVC flooring designed for circularity.
Chemical and mechanical product analysis, process simulation, LCA, SEA, and business modelling will support process development, the upscale process and the product design. The approach addresses exactly the scope of the call because
(i) innovative solutions are developed for removing undesirable substances from secondary raw materials that otherwise would be incinerated or landfilled,
(ii) removed plasticizers and additives pose health/environmental risks and would adversely affect the quality of the recycled materials and
(iii) the hazardous compounds are handled safely and destroyed completely.
Addressing the 500.000 t PVC flooring market with recommendations on design for recycling and novel circular materials produced, the expected impact on the flooring value chain will be substantial. An interdisciplinary team of 4 RTO, 6 industrial partners and 1 non-profit company will finally implement the new circular economy approach into the PVC flooring industry.
Chemical and mechanical product analysis, process simulation, LCA, SEA, and business modelling will support process development, the upscale process and the product design. The approach addresses exactly the scope of the call because
(i) innovative solutions are developed for removing undesirable substances from secondary raw materials that otherwise would be incinerated or landfilled,
(ii) removed plasticizers and additives pose health/environmental risks and would adversely affect the quality of the recycled materials and
(iii) the hazardous compounds are handled safely and destroyed completely.
Addressing the 500.000 t PVC flooring market with recommendations on design for recycling and novel circular materials produced, the expected impact on the flooring value chain will be substantial. An interdisciplinary team of 4 RTO, 6 industrial partners and 1 non-profit company will finally implement the new circular economy approach into the PVC flooring industry.
The Circular Flooring Reporting Period 2 (RP2) started in M19, December 2020, and ended in M36, May 2022. During this period, a series of actions were executed to take the Circular Flooring project a step ahead in determining the feasibility of recycling post-consumer PVC containing undesired pollutants.
Firstly, a market analysis was performed and the data gathered during Reporting Period 1 (RP1) was supplemented by further market research. This research was aimed at understanding the flooring producers' view and position on the application of recycled material in new flooring products. The recycling process at laboratory scale was developed during RP1 and was further investigated during RP2. Crucial steps, such as filtration, precipitation and drying were investigated to understand the effects of different parameters in more detail and to obtain a recycled PVC with properties that fulfil the demand of the flooring manufacturers. It was investigated how the particle size can be reduced and how the porosity can be increased. In RP2 the cleaning of the extract and the hydrogenation process were analysed since in RP1 the extract produced was feasible to hydrogenate at laboratory scale but not in larger quantities in a continuous process. For this, additional process steps were examined and determined. The aim was to clean the extract to a degree that large quantities of legacy plasticizers can be hydrogenated without losing the activity of the catalyst. A suitable plasticizer for the hydrogenated legacy plasticizer was identified to determine how the recycled PVC behaves when blended and processed with new plasticizer and other additives. All this connects the lab phase with the pilot phase and were monitored by the business cost models and the LCA analysis to adapt and include all process adjustments in the different models.
A major challenge lying ahead is the finalization and commissioning of the pilot plant. At the end of RP1 it was expected to be operating at the end of RP2. However, due to several unforeseeable delays related to supply chain and material shortages the pilot plant could not be completed yet. The commissioning of the pilot plant will start in the last quarter of 2022 and production of recycled PVC will be demonstrated in the first quarter of 2023. This means that all tasks in need of material or data generated from the pilot plant recycling process will be delayed. The main work laying ahead regards evaluating the processes, producing recycled PVC and flooring and evaluating the data from the process. This will only be able to be performed once the pilot line is operating. However, all partners have come together to plan ahead for what will be needed after the start of operation and to evaluate how the work can be accelerated once the recycled PVC is produced.
Despite the chance to showcase the upscaling process, the consortium attended various virtual and in-person events to exploit the Circular Flooring project and its results. With circumstances allowing more in-person meetings and dialogues with the industry showed that this project is enjoying a great level of attention. The exploitation and dissemination activities have brought about this visibility and we are eager to showcase the upscaling of our recycling process in the upcoming reporting period. For this Circular Flooring Days are being organised to be held shortly after the start of the upscaling process.
Firstly, a market analysis was performed and the data gathered during Reporting Period 1 (RP1) was supplemented by further market research. This research was aimed at understanding the flooring producers' view and position on the application of recycled material in new flooring products. The recycling process at laboratory scale was developed during RP1 and was further investigated during RP2. Crucial steps, such as filtration, precipitation and drying were investigated to understand the effects of different parameters in more detail and to obtain a recycled PVC with properties that fulfil the demand of the flooring manufacturers. It was investigated how the particle size can be reduced and how the porosity can be increased. In RP2 the cleaning of the extract and the hydrogenation process were analysed since in RP1 the extract produced was feasible to hydrogenate at laboratory scale but not in larger quantities in a continuous process. For this, additional process steps were examined and determined. The aim was to clean the extract to a degree that large quantities of legacy plasticizers can be hydrogenated without losing the activity of the catalyst. A suitable plasticizer for the hydrogenated legacy plasticizer was identified to determine how the recycled PVC behaves when blended and processed with new plasticizer and other additives. All this connects the lab phase with the pilot phase and were monitored by the business cost models and the LCA analysis to adapt and include all process adjustments in the different models.
A major challenge lying ahead is the finalization and commissioning of the pilot plant. At the end of RP1 it was expected to be operating at the end of RP2. However, due to several unforeseeable delays related to supply chain and material shortages the pilot plant could not be completed yet. The commissioning of the pilot plant will start in the last quarter of 2022 and production of recycled PVC will be demonstrated in the first quarter of 2023. This means that all tasks in need of material or data generated from the pilot plant recycling process will be delayed. The main work laying ahead regards evaluating the processes, producing recycled PVC and flooring and evaluating the data from the process. This will only be able to be performed once the pilot line is operating. However, all partners have come together to plan ahead for what will be needed after the start of operation and to evaluate how the work can be accelerated once the recycled PVC is produced.
Despite the chance to showcase the upscaling process, the consortium attended various virtual and in-person events to exploit the Circular Flooring project and its results. With circumstances allowing more in-person meetings and dialogues with the industry showed that this project is enjoying a great level of attention. The exploitation and dissemination activities have brought about this visibility and we are eager to showcase the upscaling of our recycling process in the upcoming reporting period. For this Circular Flooring Days are being organised to be held shortly after the start of the upscaling process.
The impacts of this project fit well with the aims of the European Circular Economy Strategy and European Geen Deal. The main impacts that are generated are the following.
1. Increasing purity and/or desirable quality of secondary raw materials
2. Increasing recycling rate for, and reduced landfill and incineration of, secondary raw materials
3. Reducing the risk of retaining hazardous substances in recycled materials
4. Implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the 7th Environment Action Programme
5. Contribution to Commission Strategy on Plastics in a Circular Economy and to implementation of the SPIRE PPP Roadmap
The project directly shows how to increase the purity and produce high-quality recyclate at laboratory scale. It shows that the CreaSolv® Process can separate PVC from post-consumer flooring waste and remove included legacy phthalates below their legal limit. This project shows that the recycling process does not degrade the PVC but it enables a high-quality PVC as a new product. These results show that the separation of PVC and legacy phthalates can be performed. Through the controlled separation of hazardous substances these do not end up in recycled material or the environment. The project has an impact on the industry, increasing the recycling rates of PVC and reducing landfilling and incineration. Especially in times of supply chain shortages and crisis, more companies search for ways to work in a circular economy. The project is enjoying great attention from the PVC industry. With an upscaling of the CreaSolv® and hydrogenation process, we will show 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.
1. Increasing purity and/or desirable quality of secondary raw materials
2. Increasing recycling rate for, and reduced landfill and incineration of, secondary raw materials
3. Reducing the risk of retaining hazardous substances in recycled materials
4. Implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the 7th Environment Action Programme
5. Contribution to Commission Strategy on Plastics in a Circular Economy and to implementation of the SPIRE PPP Roadmap
The project directly shows how to increase the purity and produce high-quality recyclate at laboratory scale. It shows that the CreaSolv® Process can separate PVC from post-consumer flooring waste and remove included legacy phthalates below their legal limit. This project shows that the recycling process does not degrade the PVC but it enables a high-quality PVC as a new product. These results show that the separation of PVC and legacy phthalates can be performed. Through the controlled separation of hazardous substances these do not end up in recycled material or the environment. The project has an impact on the industry, increasing the recycling rates of PVC and reducing landfilling and incineration. Especially in times of supply chain shortages and crisis, more companies search for ways to work in a circular economy. The project is enjoying great attention from the PVC industry. With an upscaling of the CreaSolv® and hydrogenation process, we will show 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.