Sustainability

Sustainability is a key focus both within the plastics industry and at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf. We highlight important topics for you, such as the circular economy, recycling and climate protection.

Illustration: Blau-grünes Recycling-Symbol um eine Erde, mit Blättern und Papier, auf hellem Hintergrund; Nachhaltigkeit und Umweltschutz.

Results (192)

  • traceless: material made from plant-based polymers protects climate and environment

    Interview with Dr.-Ing. Anne Lamp, CEO & Co-Founder, traceless materials GmbH Exclusively for K-MAG traceless is produced from grain waste in a particularly resource-efficient way. The use of natural polymers makes the material biocompatible and climate-friendly. Copyright: traceless materials GmbH 19.01.2023 As early as 1908, textile engineer Jacques Brandenberger invented cellophane, a film made of natural polymers. However, the material was displaced by synthetic polymers with the development of numerous plastics. In the wake of the climate crisis, natural polymers are now coming back into focus as an alternative to fossil raw materials. traceless offers such an alternative. Dr. Anne Lamp. Copyright: Marc Schultz-Coulon In an interview with K-MAG, Anne Lamp talks about traceless, the production of the material and its possible applications. Dr Lamp, with traceless you have developed a new type of material. What is it about? Dr Anne Lamp: traceless® is a natural, plant-based plastic alternative. We use plant-based residues from the agricultural industry to produce a thermoplastic granulate that can be further processed using standard plastics processing methods. My motivation for developing the traceless® material was to develop a biocompatible material according to the cradle-to-cradle principle – 100% bio-based, naturally compostable, free of potentially harmful substances, climate-friendly and resource-efficient in production and processing. How exactly is the material produced? Lamp: The basis for the production is plant-based raw materials – more precisely: a side stream from industrial grain processing, for example brewery or starch production. We have developed an efficient and simple process to harness the natural polymers in it. This is the secret behind our materials. The challenge: to bring this technology to scale! At an industrial production level, the production is price-competitive with plastics, but we are not there yet. In the two years since our founding, we have built and commissioned a pilot plant and are currently producing our materials there. A larger demonstration plant is being planned. We want to start building it this year. In view of the great demand, time is pressing! The traceless material is particularly suitable for disposable products. Copyright: traceless materials GmbH For which products is the material particularly suitable? What is it not suitable for? Lamp: traceless® has thermoplastic properties, and can be processed in a similar way to many plastics – for example into moulded parts, films or paper coatings. Injection moulded parts are a great potential. In general, a biocircular material is suitable wherever products easily end up in the environment or where conventional recycling is difficult. Of course, new materials like ours cannot yet replace all plastics, especially in the high-performance sector. The material is stable in storage, but when exposed to weather and moisture it begins to decompose – one of the advantages of the material, but one that makes it rather unsuitable for a garden chair, for example. Therefore, disposable products or packaging are of particular interest, where the enormous resistance of plastic is not necessarily needed. Together with C&A, a small hook was developed that is produced by injection moulding. Copyright: traceless materials GmbH Where exactly is the material used? Do you already have experience? Lamp: Our first product on the shelves is a small hook that we developed together with the fashion retailer C&A. The injection-moulded part is used for this purpose. The injection-moulded part is used to hang up socks. C&A is planning to significantly reduce the amount of conventional plastics in packaging and came to us looking for solutions. Especially with a small part like the hook, recycling is difficult in practice, so a plastic-free solution was interesting here. After some development time, the launch of this innovative project then attracted a lot of attention, there was a lot of press and positive feedback. Many C&A customers, on the other hand, hardly noticed that the hooks were different, because apart from the amber appearance, they look quite similar. We consider that a success – our material should work just as easily as plastic! Last year you won the Next Economy Award as part of the German Sustainability Award. What does this award mean to you? Lamp: It was an important award for us because it recognises the core objective of our company: to drive the green transformation of our economy. Especially in the consumer goods sector, sustainability claims are omnipresent but usually difficult to verify. We see the fact that the high-calibre jury has recognised our business model as sustainable after a thorough examination as a great external confirmation that we are on the right track. Of course, such a prestigious award is also important for our customers – processors, brands and retailers. But it is also very clear that we have not yet reached the end. We want to produce one million tonnes of traceless® material by 2030, and replace less sustainable materials in many applications – we still have a long way to go! Until 2030, the start-up wants to produce one million tons of traceless material. Copyright: traceless materials GmbH You also participated as an exhibitor at K 2022. How did the trade fair go for you? Lamp: As a young company founded in 2020, it was our first K as an exhibitor. We don't offer plastic, but a natural material, but it can be processed like plastic – so it was clear to us that we would not only participate as a visitor, but also as an exhibitor. We were one of the only suppliers of natural polymers, so the interest was correspondingly great! We had an unbelievably large number of exciting discussions with processors and brand owners, from which some promising new development projects have already emerged. It was also a great opportunity to expand our network: On the very first day, I was able to meet German State Secretary Dr. Christiane Rohleder for a personal discussion together with some industry representatives. It was really exciting to enter into dialogue and to understand even better how our solution can contribute to mastering the challenges of the entire industry. Elena Blume (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Circular Economy

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  • Performance meets circularity: fibre-reinforced plastics become recyclable

    Interview with Prof. Dr. Silke Rathgeber, Head of the Department of Physics, Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences of the Department of Mathematics / Natural Sciences, University of Koblenz Exclusively for K-MAG Section of a plastic fibre-reinforced profile from Hahn Kunststoffe GmbH. Copyright: A+ Composites 01/27/2023 Recycled plastics are often less efficient than new plastics. But they can be upgraded - namely by using fibre composites. In turn, they make the plastics difficult to recycle. The All-Polymer project shows how both are possible: high-performance materials and a closed cycle. Prof. Dr. Silke Rathgeber. Copyright: private In an interview with K-MAG, Prof. Dr. Silke Rathgeber talks about the All-Polymer project, Röchling Automotive's participation in it, and the extent to which fibre-reinforced plastics can save material and energy. To what extent is there still a need to catch up when it comes to recycling fibre-reinforced plastics? Prof. Dr. Silke Rathgeber: Secondary plastics often have poorer mechanical properties than primary materials. This means that the recycling of plastics is in most cases inevitably associated with downcycling. Plastic composites are generally not recyclable. This does not correspond to the goal of a resource-efficient Circular Economy, in which raw materials should remain in the cycle for as long as possible without loss of value. Nevertheless, due to their properties (low density, design flexibility, media stability, energy-efficient processing, durability), plastics offer many advantages in terms of resource efficiency compared to other material classes, such as metal or even wood, especially in lightweight construction, logistics, the construction industry, etcetera. The goal must therefore be to upgrade recycled secondary plastics through new design concepts and to process them into new products that are 100 percent recyclable. A fibre-reinforced container ring from Infinex Holding GmbH. Copyright: A+ Composites In the All-Polymer project, you researched exactly that. What were the goals? Rathgeber: The goal of All-Polymer is to add value to secondary plastics by means of cost- and energy-efficient unidirectional (UD) fibre-reinforced tapes (UD tapes), which are either applied to a component using an additive tape-laying process for local reinforcement or integrated into a component as inserts in injection moulding or compression moulding processes. Instead of using energy- and cost-intensive glass and carbon fibres, the innovative approach is to use plastic fibres. These can be produced in an extraordinarily energy-efficient way, are sorted according to type and are completely recyclable. How did you go about your research? Rathgeber: The potential to use recyclates from one application in another high-value application was investigated using use cases from different industries. Here we focused on important key industries such as automotive (Röchling Automotive), logistics (Infinex Holding) and agriculture, forestry and construction (Hahn Kunststoffe). The start-up A+ Composites produces UD tapes with the plastic fibre Dyneema®, which are unique worldwide according to the fibre manufacturer DSM. By investigating the tape-component adhesion as well as by means of mechanical characterisation, the requirements for the various applications could be identified and the UD tapes and component properties adapted. The connection between the component and the UD-Tape was made using a welding or pressing process, depending on the application. Both processes could be significantly improved through the cooperation and adapted to the requirements of the components. Stable processes leading to well adhering tapes were realised. An examination of the ecological and economic framework conditions by the Technical University of Kaiserlautern (Chair of Sustainability Management) supported the technical development. The status quo of the participating companies in the Circular Economy could be recorded through an accompanying circularity assessment. In addition, potentials were identified through which the project participants can position themselves even more sustainably in the future. For one of the use cases, a life cycle analysis including a CO2 balance was also prepared. Detail of a glass fibre reinforced underbody structure of Röchling Automotive SE & Co KG. Copyright: A+ Composites You were also provided with a prototype by Röchling Automotive. What was the basic idea here? What were the results of the investigations? Rathgeber: Röchling Automotive was involved in the project as an associated partner. The company has set itself the strategic goal of acting in a sustainable and value-conscious manner. This includes supporting new developments in the plastics processing industry that aim at increased resource efficiency, recycling of plastics and more recycling. Several series of tests were carried out with different car parts. The aim was to use the fibre-reinforced tapes to compensate for a drop in performance of the components with recycled material and to reduce or make obsolete the proportion of long fibres or the insertion of glass or carbon layers by using completely polymer-based unidirectional fibre reinforcements. The feasibility could be demonstrated in a prototype. To what extent can the results of the All-Polymer project contribute to more sustainability in the plastics industry? Rathgeber: The technical, ecological and economic results have shown that several types of upgrading can be realised. By using fibre-reinforced tapes, the recycled content can be increased and a loss of performance due to the use of recycled material can be compensated for. This can open up new, demanding areas of application for components that are 100 percent recyclable. Another possibility is to reinforce components, which can thus be made lighter in construction. This not only saves material, but also energy in the life cycle of the product during every transport process. Elena Blume (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Recycling

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  • Back to the cycle: #tide turns ocean plastic into high-quality recyclates

    Interview with Marc Krebs, Co-Founder & CCO, Tide Ocean SA Exclusively for K-MAG Copyright: tide ocean material 15.02.2023 Plastic is a resource without which our life today would not be possible - and thanks to recycling, we can even use it several times over. However, we know from reports what can happen if the recycling process does not run properly: the plastic sometimes ends up in the sea. Getting it back into circulation from there and turning it into a usable product is not easy. #tide has succeeded: The company has overcome several technical as well as organizational challenges and today turns "trash from the sea" into high-quality raw materials that are in no way inferior to conventional primary materials. Mr. Krebs, how are high-quality plastic recyclates created from ocean-bound plastics? Marc Krebs. Copyright: tide ocean material Marc Krebs: In a multi-stage process: First, the material has to be collected and delivered. We work with local communities, with fishermen and coastal and island dwellers. The material is weighed, recorded, tracked and paid for at a fair price. It is our top priority to give value to waste from the start - so we incentivize the collection of plastic waste in the affected regions. This is then manually separated in our warehouses, mostly social enterprises. This is how we create further added value and jobs. Then the plastic waste - we mainly process PET, PP and PE - is inspected in appropriately equipped facilities to check that it is of the correct type, washed, shredded and processed into granules. We produce plastics for injection molding, but also polyester yarns for textiles or filaments for 3D printing. What challenges did you have to overcome during development? Krebs: Technologically, the task was to define the right approach. To do this, we worked with the Swiss Institute for Materials Technology and Plastics Processing (IWK, Rapperswil), analyzed the nature of the materials in studies, and determined the methodology for the most effective recycling. We recycle mechanically and now offer a clean, high quality raw material that can then be further processed and refined thanks to the knowledge of our technological department and is on a par with the quality of Virgin Plastic. Another challenge was to export our knowledge to the affected countries in Southeast Asia and to build up the supply chain. Often there is a complete lack of a waste management system. We therefore had to look for the right partners to ensure control from sourcing to compounding and thus also our high quality standards. Transparency and credibility were also important to us right from the start, in order to clearly distinguish ourselves from "black sheep" in the recycling business. As a result, I claim we have now achieved a market-leading position, among other things with the development of a Material Passport: we have the path of our material tracked and recorded on a blockchain. We also meet the highest ethical and environmental standards. All this leads to our goal of not only offering a high-quality raw material, but also delivering a new standard with #tide: To be the world's most important label for ocean-bound plastic. Copyright: tide ocean material What are the advantages of using marine plastics? Krebs: Only advantages. The threat to the oceans is one of the biggest environmental problems of our time. Plastic waste threatens fauna and flora, our food chains, our climate. The blue planet is in danger of suffocating in it, and so are we. By collecting ocean-bound plastic and returning it to the cycle, we are providing a solution to this problem. This is not only ecological - our material is 5 times more environmentally friendly than virgin PET according to mc my external expert opinion - but also sustainable in the economic sense: we create a social impact, create jobs and waste management systems, build infrastructure and pass on our knowledge in workshops. For which end products can the recyclates be used? Krebs: We received our first orders from the watch industry, from brands in Switzerland, Scandinavia and the USA, for both watch cases and polyester straps. This enabled us to successfully apply our quality standards to high-precision instruments. In the meantime, products from many other industries have been launched: electronic devices, textiles and fabrics, packaging, and even adult toys are made from our material. Meanwhile, we also receive requests for automobiles and vehicle accessories, for furniture or for products in the construction industry. There are basically no limits. How do you plan to develop your company and your products in the future? Krebs: We want to become the world's most trusted supplier of sustainable plastic products made from marine plastics. To this end, we are currently expanding, opening up the Americas for example, from sourcing to compounding. We want to offer #tide ocean material seamlessly on every continent by 2025, with a broad distribution network and the shortest possible transport routes. In the medium term, we would also like to license our solution. Our dream would be that only recyclates are used for new products, thus protecting the environment, saving fossil raw materials, and creating great added value. How is #tide's work being implemented locally? Have a look here and get an idea: Kyra Molinari (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Circular Economy

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  • Parcel logistics: the future belongs to reusable plastic boxes

    Interview with Dr. Peter Entenfellner, Co-Founder & CEO, and Andreas Holzleithner, Co-Founder & CTO, BOOXit Exclusively for K-MAG Copyright: vanitjan 29.03.2023 Cardboard dominates parcel logistics. Shrinkage and return transport costs have so far been too big hurdles for reusable containers made of plastic, even though there is a lot to be said for them in terms of sustainability. BOOXit overcomes these hurdles – and adds one on top: the reusable system is not only sustainable, but also robot-compatible. Dr. Peter Entenfellner & Andreas Holzleithner. Copyright: BOOXit In an interview with K-MAG, Dr. Peter Entenfellner & Andreas Holzleithner talk about their reusable solution, its advantages for people and the environment and what role plastics will play in the parcel logistics of the future. How did you come up with the idea for BOOXit? Andreas Holzleithner & Dr. Peter Entenfellner: The idea came about as part of a joint car racing project by both of us founders, where we ourselves repeatedly had the problem of not finding a suitable plastic box that would work equally well at home in the workshop and on the race track or in the paddock. Our own problems are often the best motivators to rethink things. So, step by step, a new "wonder box" came into being. First the problem was identified in an industrial design project at the University of Linz, then the solution was developed in the start-up. How does the reusable system work? Holzleithner & Entenfellner: With BOOXit we have created a fully automatable and digitalised transport box that solves the two core problems of reusable containers: the shrinkage due to the charging of the deposit via the BOOXit app and a digital twin. the return transport costs through full automation and robot-compatibility as well as digitalisation, which not only manages the boxes, but also solves the empty capacity and thus the return transport in a cost-efficient way. Thus, for the first time, the BOOXit reusable system with completely new possibilities for sorting, picking, loading and stopping can make parcel logistics more cost-effective than carton-based logistics. Exhibitors & products around digitalisation CAD systems Simulation software Quality assurance software (SPC/SQC) Maintenance software Equipment & software for manufacturing execution system (MES) What is the box made of? To what extent are plastics particularly suitable for this purpose? Entenfellner & Holzleithner: There will be boxes made of different plastics: PP, ABS or PA are suitable and can probably best meet the requirements. Since BOOXit boxes are not actually boxes but logistics system components, there are challenges in the area of manufacturing tolerances that go far beyond the requirements for current plastic boxes. Due to the complex shapes, practically only plastic and plastic compound in injection moulding can be considered as a base material. In our view, no other material can master the many requirements. Copyright: BOOXit What makes your solution more sustainable than others? Entenfellner & Holzleithner: In the majority of applications, cardboard is a disposable product, whereas the plastic box made of PP or PA manages more than 100, in many cases even more than 1000 cycles. This saves an enormous amount of energy and thus CO 2 . Also decisive are the digital and mechanical possibilities of BOOXit, which enable the sustainable and thus also cost-efficient use of empty capacities for return transport. But sustainability also means making the workplace of parcel drivers more ergonomic. Normally, sustainability costs money, but with BOOXit, parcel logistics not only becomes more sustainable, but also cheaper. BOOXit is fully robot-compatible. What does that mean? Entenfellner & Holzleithner: From the very beginning, the automation capability, i.e. the ability to manipulate the box by robots, was decisive in the design of the box and rack. Boxes are not only automated in department stores. In times of labour shortages, the technology in the upstream and downstream logistics processes, and here especially on the last mile, must also be able to relieve workers. This can be achieved with robots. Copyright: BOOXit In your opinion, what will parcel logistics look like in the future? What role do plastics and especially solutions like yours play here? Entenfellner & Holzleithner: With the new proposal for the EU Packaging Directive, the EU Commission has made a clear commitment not only to recycling but also to reuse in parcel logistics. And when it comes to a combination of recycling and reuse, plastic has a clear advantage, because it is perfectly capable of both. Parcel logistics of the future will change significantly due to several framework conditions: Climate change and the resulting demands for decarbonisation will inevitably lead to reusable packaging, and this is already reflected in legislative proposals such as the EU Packaging Directive. Online trade will continue to gain in importance, but will demand lower costs and more protection for the goods from logistics. Rising prices for gas and wood will inevitably drive up the price of cardboard, making plastic reusable boxes more attractive in many areas. Automated filled pick-up stations will gain in importance over door-to-door delivery. Reusable technologies like BOOXit, which best meet all these technical, social and economic requirements, will gain in importance in the future – perhaps even faster than many large logistics players can currently imagine. This will open up an enormous market for the plastics industry worldwide. Elena Blume (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Circular Economy

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  • Degradation of Plastic Waste using newly Developed Biocatalysts

    Copyright: anatoliy_gleb 13.03.2023 The plastic materials polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol can now be degraded under mild conditions with the help of enzymes as biocatalysts. Scientists from the University of Greifswald have developed corresponding methods together with the German company Covestro and teams from Leipzig and Dublin, as recently published in the journal Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. , in two separate articles. It has thus been possible to establish a sustainable and environmentally-friendly process to recycle these polymers. This helps to address the worldwide problem of plastic waste based on the example of these two synthetic polymers, which are produced industrially at large scale. Plastics are currently indispensable for the production of construction materials, electric insulation, drinks and food packaging, textiles and many more applications. Unfortunately, the mass production of synthetic polymers, especially for packaging materials, has led to an enormous waste problem for the environment. The polymers polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol contribute to approximately 8 percent of the European plastic production. For several years methods to achieve an environmentally-friendly recycling of plastics have been the subject of intense investigations. This would not only relieve the environment, but also reduce the amount of petrol required to make new plastics chemically. Furthermore, less of the greenhouse gas CO 2 would be emitted by garbage incineration plants that currently burn plastic waste. A mattress made from polyurethane. Copyright: Covestro AG Polyurethanes (PUR) are used for the production of mattresses, insulating materials, thermoplasts (i.e. for sport shoes) and for coatings (sealants, painting, glues). Chemical methods have been developed for the degradation of these compounds, but they require high amounts of energy as high temperatures and pressures are required. Biotechnological methods using microorganisms or enzymes as natural biocatalysts represent an alternative as they enable the degradation and especially recycling – the isolation of the building blocks to make new plastics – at moderate temperatures of no more than 40°C and without the use of chemical reagents. Prof. Dr. Uwe Bornscheuer's team at the University of Greifswald's Institute of Biochemistry, together with scientists from the company Covestro (Leverkusen), has now identified the key enzymes, which are able to degrade polyurethane into its building blocks after a chemical pretreatment. "The search for these specific biocatalysts was very laborious as we had to screen about two million candidates in order to discover the first three enzymes, which have been proven to break the special chemical bond present in polyurethanes," explains PhD student Yannick Branson (University of Greifswald), describing the challenge of this project. "With this ground-breaking discovery we now have the precondition to tailor-design these biocatalysts using methods of protein engineering that aim to develop an industrial recycling of polyurethanes," explains Prof. Dr. Uwe Bornscheuer (University of Greifswald) further. "Using these newly identified enzymes, we get much closer to our target of a circular economy for the polymer industry," adds Dr. Gernot Jäger, head of the Competence Center for Biotechnology at Covestro AG (Leverkusen). Exhibitors & products around recycling Recycling plants Separating and sorting systems for waste Size reduction equipment (crushers, shredders, grinders) Compounding lines Recyclates Photo Prof. Dr. Uwe Bornscheuer. Copyright: Laura Schirrmeister Polyvinyl alcohols (PVA) have versatile properties and are also widely applied, for instance for the coating of fibers and as foils for packaging. So far, no mature processes exist for the degradation of PVA. Here, the team of Professor Bornscheuer was also able to develop the basic principles for a biotechnological process together with a polymer expert from the University College Dublin (Ireland) and scientists from Leipzig. The degradation of PVA could be achieved through the elegant combination of three different enzymes, which are then able to modify the polymer in a stepwise fashion to obtain fragments of the polymer, which then can be used for its recycling. Originalpublikation Gerlis von Haugwitz et al; Urethanases for the enzymatic hydrolysis of low molecular weight carbamates and the recycling of polyurethanes; Angewandte Chemie International Edition; 2023 Yannick Branson et al.; Synthesis of modified poly(vinyl alcohol)s and their degradation using an enzymatic cascade; Angewandte Chemie International Edition; 2023 Source University of Greifswald More around Recycling

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  • Bioplastics for medicine: sustainability and quality in harmony

    Interview with Julian Lotz, Managing Director (CEO), BIOVOX GmbH Exclusively for K-MAG Copyright: Iakobchuk 02/17/2023 The healthcare field produces lots of medical plastic waste. The founders of Biovox know this from first-hand experience - but medical care simply could no longer exist without plastic. The idea of designing medical products with sustainability in mind is certainly not new. However, medical-grade plastic materials must meet strict regulatory requirements, often prompting the aspect of sustainability to take a back seat. Biovox wants to solve this problem with its products. In this interview, CEO Julian Lotz describes how his company develops bioplastics that successfully meet the stringent requirements for medical-grade plastic materials and explains what differentiates Biovox products from other comparable items. Mr. Lotz, what prompted you to develop bioplastics for the medical sector? Julian Lotz. Copyright: BIOVOX Julian Lotz: My co-founder Vinzenz Nienhaus developed bioplastic-based bone replacements at the Technical University Darmstadt, Germany. I used to offer advice and expertise on plastics to orthopedic device companies. Along the way, we both saw large piles of waste in the laboratories and university hospitals comprising single-use (disposable) products and tons of packaging. In the interest of quality, these were previously made from virgin fossil-based plastic. Our co-founder Carmen once did the math on this: Medical plastics generate global CO2 emissions equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from Sweden or Denmark. We can and we must change that, which is why we “launched” this segment two years ago. What makes your plastics sustainable? Lotz: We use different biobased polymers. Most of our compounds are 95 to 100 percent biobased. Raw polymer production is not only highly energy efficient, but PLA can also be chemically recycled in an energy-efficient manner, resulting in a quality that is suitable for medical technology application. We have a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint that is up to 80 percent lower than contributions of common fossil-based medical plastics such as PET, PE, PP, PC, and ABS. Bioplastics also have another major advantage as it pertains to waste incineration, which is still widely used in healthcare settings: the CO2 emissions don’t stem from fossil energy sources millions of years old, but were removed from the atmosphere by the plants in the last growth stage. The cycle is thus significantly shorter and fossil carbon stays where it belongs, namely buried deep underground. Compared to polyolefins such as PE and PP, we also have a lower carbon footprint per kilogram of plastic, which also reduces emissions if burned. Copyright: BIOVOX How do your bioplastics differ from other comparable materials? Lotz: All our materials have been proven to be biocompatible, depending on the compound for different risk classes of medical devices. We offer systems for injection molding, film and profile extrusion. We can also provide transparent, soft types with a higher elongation at break percentage, which is important for safety concerns pertaining to packaging and medical tubing. It’s something that is not yet available on the market in a sustainable form. The medical sector has some of the highest quality and hygiene standards. How can you meet and guarantee this level of quality? Lotz: The raw materials for our compounds are manufactured for us for medical use and are medical grade. We develop and produce our materials under our certified ISO 13485 medical quality management system. We also perform detailed testing per ISO 10993 standard to ensure biocompatibility and thus patient safety. This industry specific quality management currently doesn’t exist anywhere else for PLA-based compounds. What are your future plans for your products and your company? Lotz: We have a few ideas for pharmaceutical packaging innovations. Materials that facilitate steam sterilization are an exciting option when it comes to medical devices slated for repeated use. We are currently working on a solution that focuses on the sustainability perspective. Right now, our top priority is to master the ongoing massive growth we are experiencing and to scale our production, thus ensuring our company does not inadvertently become a bottleneck to sustainability. Kyra Molinari (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Circular Economy

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  • Acting Responsibly: Jungle feeling at the Röchling stand at K 2022

    Great crowd and positive feedback for an extraordinary stand concept at the K 2022 Source: Röchling SE & Co. KG 08.12.2022 A splashing waterfall, tropical plants along the path and exotic animals in the thicket – visitors to this year's K plastics trade fair in Düsseldorf were treated to an extraordinary sight. Röchling presented its sustainable product families and innovative new products on 330 square metres in the middle of a jungle. The spectacular stand attracted the attention of visitors and generated a great deal of interest and enthusiasm. Sustainability as an important strategic area Spectacular stand: Röchling presented itself at K 2022in the middle of a jungle. Source: Röchling SE & Co. KG "The motto of our stand at the K this year is 'Acting responsibly'. As a family-owned company, we are aware of our responsibility towards the environment and society and have identified sustainability as one of the most important strategic areas," explained Franz Lübbers, CEO Röchling Industrial. "At the K, we present our sustainability activities and invite our customers to talk to us. Together, we want to lead the way towards a sustainable future and help our customers achieve their sustainability goals." Exhibitors & products around recycling Recycling plants Separating and sorting systems for waste Size reduction equipment (crushers, shredders, grinders) Compounding lines Recyclates Focus on sustainability and digitisation A special eye-catcher: An abandoned vintage car illustrated the relevance of sustainable action. Source: Röchling SE & Co. KG The international plastics processor also presented its new sustainable product families. With Röchling-BioBoom ® and Röchling-ReLoop ® , the company is further expanding its portfolio of high-quality bio-based plastics and recycled materials. Visitors also learned how fossil-based plastics contribute to increasing sustainability in the application. "Many of our products improve the efficiency of the systems thanks to their properties," says Lübbers. "This saves energy and contributes to the conservation of resources, for example." Another focus was on the presentation of innovative products and services in the area of digitalisation. The smart innovations enable customers to reliably identify their products in the event of complaints, to reduce production system downtimes and optimise processes. Exceptional and authentic Many interesting conversations: Röchling welcomed many customers and partners at the K 2022. Source: Röchling SE & Co. KG K, the largest trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, took place in Düsseldorf from October 19 to 26. More than 3,000 companies from 60 countries present new products, systems and machines to the 176,000 trade visitors from all over the world. The K takes place every three years. Röchling always surprises its customers and visitors with a spectacularly different trade fair stand. "This year was all about sustainability. That's why we developed a stand concept that perfectly reflects this important topic," says Lübbers. Visitors found themselves in the middle of a jungle with real plants, authentic animals and special background noise. Exciting eye-catchers were a vintage car, a life-size gorilla, chimpanzees and an orangutan in the trees. The unusual concept was also well received by visitors and customers. Large crowds on all trade fair days, a lot of praise and enthusiasm for such an extraordinary stand and countless photos testified to the success of this unusual trade fair appearance. Source Röchling SE & Co. KG More around Climate Protection

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  • EREMA Group focuses research and development on circular economy for PET fibres

    Copyright: ssp48 22.11.2022 The textile industry is the third largest consumer of plastics. While growth rates in the production of fibres and textiles are high, the circular economy has hardly become established in this segment. The EREMA Group is now intensifying development of recycling solutions for this application with their new fibres and textiles business unit. Currently, the focus is on PET fibre materials from fibre production and subsequent processing steps. Technologies for recycling mixed fibre textiles from textile collection sources are to follow in a follow-up project phase. Fibre waste from filament fibre production was recycled into high-quality pellets in EREMA's fibre test centre. Using filament technology, a 3 dtex fibre was spun, which was processed into knitted fabric for clothing or technical textiles. Source: EREMA "With EREMA's VACUREMA® and INTAREMA® technology and PURE LOOP's ISEC evo technology, our company group already has an extensive range of machines for fibre and PET recycling applications. For ecologically and economically sound recycling, however, new technological solutions are needed to use the recycled fibres in higher-value end applications and to achieve a functioning circular economy," explains Wolfgang Hermann, Business Development Manager Application Fibres & Textiles, EREMA Group GmbH. The initial focus will be on PET, regarded as a key material for the production of synthetic fibres. The aim is to find recycling solutions that allow PET fibre materials to be prepared for reuse in PET fibre production processes. This is a significant step for the circular economy because PET fibres in textiles account for about two-thirds of the total volume of PET. Packaging applications account for only one-third of the PET material stream. In this development work, the EREMA Group can build on existing know-how. Proven recycling technologies have been combined with a new IV optimiser. "This extends the residence time of the PET melt, which is particularly necessary in fibre recycling to efficiently remove spinning oils. Our recycling process also increases the IV value of the PET melt after extrusion back to the specific level that is essential for production of the fibre," explains Hermann. The quality of the rPET produced using this method is so high that it can be used to manufacture ultra-fine fibres up to 2 dtex with an rPET content of 100 percent. Waste PET fibre from production processes can therefore be further processed into rPET filament fibre, carpet yarn and staple fibre. Exhibitors & products around recycling Recycling plants Separating and sorting systems for waste Size reduction equipment (crushers, shredders, grinders) Compounding lines Recyclates Fibre test centre with plant to test customers' materials In order to accelerate development work, EREMA opened its own fibre test centre a few months ago, where a cross-company team is working on recycling solutions for fibre-to-fibre applications. The centre also operates a fully equipped and variable industrial-scale recycling plant. It includes the peripheral technology required for fibre materials and is available for trials using customers' material streams. Source EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen Ges.m.b.H. More around Recycling

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  • K 2022: Heat-resistant C-PET light cup promotes circular economy – a transparent alternative for hot-fill applications

    Copyright: SML Maschinengesellschaft mbH 01.12.2022 At K 2022, SML presented the results of its joint R&D activities with Sukano AG and Kiefel Packaging B.V. – a C-PET light cup that combines transparency and recyclability as well as suitability for thermoformed hot-filling or microwavable products. Further advantages include short cycle times during thermoforming and a high stiffness. The newly developed C-PET light can thus be a reasonable option for manufacturers looking for an economic and easy-to-recycle alternative to PP and PS. Transparency for recyclability "Because easy recyclability is becoming increasingly important, we opted for a transparent C-PET solution at an early stage of our joint research and development work" says Max-Phillip Lutz, Product Manager at SML. Compared to coloured PET or PP and PS products, the recycling process of C-PET light is considerably easier. C-PET light products do not cause any problems in existing recycling streams and facilities of post-consumer or post-industrial PET materials. Exhibitors & products around recycling Recycling plants Separating and sorting systems for waste Size reduction equipment (crushers, shredders, grinders) Compounding lines Recyclates Alternative to PS and PP In general, C-PET is temperature resistant up to 220°C. However, this is not necessary for many applications and limits the output in thermoforming. In contrast, C-PET light was developed to withstand a maximum temperature of 100°C. The new C-PET light enables the manufacturing of transparent thermoformed products for hot-fill applications up to 100°C at output rates comparable to those of conventional A-PET processes. Especially the shorter cycle times during thermoforming are an economic advantage compared to conventional C-PET. Adjusting process technology All three project partners shared their specific expertise and their profound experience in their respective areas in order to improve every single step in all processes. The main technical challenges were to find the optimum dosage for the additives, to adjust the formulations and the process technology during film production, and to find the right parameters for the thermoforming process. Key characteristics of C-PET light: Suitable for transparent applications Short cycle times and high output compared with C-PET High stiffness compared with PP Recyclable Source SML Maschinengesellschaft mbH More around Circular Economy

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  • Made up out of thin air

    Recovering carbon (C) from waste gas streams and using it to manufacture industrial products Exclusively for K-MAG Copyright: istock/iSailorr 19.05.2022 Innovations always emerge from something existing, something tried and tested. Approaching them in terms of their content requires a look at the fundamentals. This is also true for the question of how carbon dioxide (CO2) from exhaust gases can be used for the production of plastics. Basis of synthetic polymers The production of plastics requires chemical ingredients such as ethene, propene and ammonia as well as various other ingredients such as methanol, ethanol or acetic acid. For their extraction, elements are needed, including oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), chlorine (Cl) or fluorine (F) and, last but not least, carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). Hydrocarbons (CmHn) form the chemical backbone of carbon-based polymers and thus of all common plastics. Usually, hydrocarbons [CmHn] are obtained from fossil resources such as crude oil, natural gas or coal; a small part is produced from renewable raw materials. After appropriate pre-treatment and fractionation, smaller hydrocarbon units (monomers) are cross-linked by chemical reactions such as polymerisation, polycondensation or polyaddition to form larger units, the macromolecules (polymers). These become plastics. Which source the ingredients come from is irrelevant for the manufacturing process. What matters is the result. Waste or added value Installation view. © Vitra Design Museum; Photo: Bettina Matthiessen In a different way, sustainability is emphasised. This does not only mean the use of renewable instead of fossil resources, a particularly economical use of energy, water and solvents, the use of green electricity generated in an ecologically valuable way. Sustainability also means: an ideally complete and zero-loss circular economy. In the final analysis, this means that there is no waste, but only recyclable residues that arise in the course of or at the end of a process. Waste gases from oxidation or combustion processes must be included in this consideration. The focus here is on the carbon dioxide (CO2) contained in combustion gases, one of the relevant greenhouse gases along with methane (CH4) and water vapour (H2O). A look at the chemical formula CO2 reveals the reason. Driving force greenhouse effect Increasing global warming and its consequences have led to a rethink. The message: greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced in order to achieve the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement of limiting the increase in global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. But how? By using "green" electricity, generated by wind or solar power plants, companies like Covestro [1] are trying to make their production completely climate-neutral by 2035. An important step. But what happens if emissions cannot be prevented? Pumping carbon dioxide from coal combustion into the earth and storing it in deep layers of rock? Sounds interesting and works, and politically the way is clear [2]. Is this the solution to the problem? Or is it more of a waste? After all, every molecule of CO2 contains a carbon atom that, simply thought, can be used? The English term for the recycling process that follows on from this is "Carbon Capture and Utilisation" (CCU) - the separation of carbon dioxide and its use as a valuable material in chemical processes. Find out more about energy transformation and CCU in our K-Talk: "Industry Climate Neutrality: Wish – Reality – Future" Green energy urgently needed What may seem simple in layman's terms is more complicated than expected. Carbon dioxide is chemically extremely stable. It takes a lot of energy to make the C in the CO2 molecule compliant. This also applies to hydrogen (H), which is also needed for the production of polymer materials. Energy is needed, and not in short supply. Where do we get it? From the conversion of coal, oil or natural gas into electricity? The wrong approach, because it is not sustainable. Nuclear energy? Nuclear power plants are considered low-emission, but are they environmentally friendly? Sustainable "green" hydrogen can be produced, among other things, by electrolysis, i.e. the splitting of water (H2O) into oxygen (O) and two hydrogen atoms (2 H), using wind or solar energy generated from renewable sources [3]. Electrolysis with green electricity has the greatest potential from the point of view of climate protection. And what about carbon from gaseous carbon dioxide? Let's take a look at the practice of one of the world's leading companies in the chemical industry: CO2 as a possible raw material in production BASF is currently examining in several projects how carbon dioxide can best be used and introduced into production as a raw material in the long term. Would you like to see some examples? The way is home-grown: With the OASE® technology, for example, BASF offers a process with which CO2 can be isolated from waste gas streams and then further processed. [You can find out more about this at OASE® (basf.com)]. Dry reforming: BASF's dry reforming technology is a catalytic solution with which CO2 can be used to produce synthesis gas. More can be found here: BASF Blue Map | BASF Catalysts and here: Dry Reforming Catalysts: SYNSPIRE™ | BASF Catalysts . Emission-free production of valuable, useful methanol - basic chemical for many products: During the production of methanol, waste gas streams consisting of methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and also hydrogen are produced. The exhaust gases are burnt with pure oxygen in the so-called oxyfuel process. This results in a minimum amount of flue gas with a maximum carbon dioxide content. The flue gas then passes through a gas scrubber using BASF's OASE® process to completely wash out the carbon dioxide it contains. The captured carbon dioxide is fed back into the process at the beginning. [Here's more info: New technologies (basf.com)] [4] Artificial photosynthesis Other companies are also working on solving the CO2 problem through CCU. Evonik, for example, says it is a global leader in the field of speciality chemicals. However, the focus is different. When it comes to the use of gaseous, airborne carbon dioxide, Evonik is guided by the example of Mother Nature and photosynthesis, which is fundamental to life on earth: "Just as plants use solar energy to produce sugar, for example, from carbon dioxide (CO2) and water in several steps, artificial photosynthesis uses renewable energies to produce valuable chemicals from CO2 and water by means of electrolysis with the help of bacteria," it says on the Evonik homepage [5]. The fact that artificial photosynthesis works in the laboratory, it continues, was successfully demonstrated several years ago. Only trial and error makes perfect At the end of 2020, another milestone was reached on the way to industrial implementation: the experimental plant at Evonik's Marl site, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), went into operation. It uses electricity from renewable sources, CO2 and H2O to produce chemicals, demonstrating for the first time that artificial photosynthesis [6] also works on a larger scale. The test plant in Marl consists of a CO electrolyser developed by Siemens Energy, a water electrolyser and the bioreactor with the know-how of Evonik. View of some relevant de-tails: In the electrolysers, carbon dioxide and water are converted into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) with electricity in a first step. Special microorganisms use this synthesis gas to produce special chemicals, initially for research purposes. They are the starting materials for food supplements and special plastics, for example. Interdisciplinary approach to the goal The attempt to find an efficient and sustainable solution for the recovery of carbon dioxide from the air requires the cooperation of many scientific disciplines. At this point, chemistry, mechanical engineering, process engineering, biotechnology and the energy industry interlock and interact. Concentrated know-how that is needed to preserve our basis of life. References [1] Press release, Covestro becomes climate neutral , COVESTRO, 1 March 2022 [2] Power giants can pump CO2 underground , Welt (08.07.2011) [3] Flexible production: How is hydrogen produced? , BDEW Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e.V. [4] Personal information BASF, Holger Kapp [5] www.creavis.com/rheticus [6] Haas et al, Technical photosynthesis involving CO2 electrolysis and fermentation , Nature Catalysis (2018) Guido Deußing (Editorial team K-MAG) More around Climate Protection

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  • Sustainable face masks: recyclable and climate-friendly

    Copyright: jirkaejc 21.11.2022 An Austrian manufacturer has developed 100% recyclable FFP2 face masks. The energy-efficient production of nonwoven fabric on Reifenhäuser technology lowers the carbon footprint. FFP2 masks have been difficult or impossible to recycle. As a consequence, they end up in the trash. The resources are lost to the circular economy and this leads to a disastrous climate footprint. The Austrian Grabher Group, one of the leaders in the field of technical and medical textiles, has now developed the world's first face mask made of 99.7% polypropylene using technology from Reifenhäuser and a low-emission feedstock from Borealis. This is fully recyclable, climate-friendly, and is already certified by the CE marking and the Ökotex STANDARD 100 label. Coronavirus pandemic was the starting point At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Grabher Group – like many companies in Europe – started with the production of protective face masks. "It was very important to us to produce high quality as fast as possible and with high line availability," says company founder and CEO, Günter Grabher. That's why the company opted for a meltblown line from Reifenhäuser. "From our point of view, Reifenhäuser simply has the most experience in meltblown line technology," says Grabher. As early as the start-up of domestic face mask production, the Grabher Group began to think about the end-of-life of face masks. "We have been involved intensively with the circular economy for many years. That's why we consider this aspect when we develop new products or think about how we can adapt products that are not yet recyclable," emphasizes CEO Grabher. For example, many of the company's textile products are already recyclable according to the cradle-to-cradle principle, meaning they can be completely returned to the textile cycle. Cradle to Cradle refers to a standard promoting the systematic implementation of a complete circular economy. In other words, feedstock is recycled multiple times into products of similar quality in order to remain continuously within the circular economy. Material mix poses a problem for recycling Source: Reifenhäuser Group When it comes to recycling, however, FFP2 masks pose major problems. They usually consist of many different plastic materials, for example, function layers made of polypropylene and polyethylene, nose clips made of metal, and ear loops made of polyester. Grabher has nevertheless developed a collection and recycling system together with the company Borealis and this system has already become established in Austria. The principle is very simple. Worn masks are collected in special containers in hospitals, for example, returned to Grabher by mail, and recycled. Source: Reifenhäuser Group But the recycling process has a catch: It is very time-consuming. "We have to separate the individual parts of the masks from each other by hand and then feed them to different recycling cycles," says Günter Grabher. "That takes a lot of time and is not economical." The solution: recyclable monomaterial masks. Source: Reifenhäuser Group That's why the Grabher Group is now taking a new approach and has developed a mask made entirely of polypropylene to achieve improved recyclability. "Monomaterial products are easier to recycle," Günter Grabher tells us. "We succeeded in replacing the parts that were not made of polypropylene." For example, they replaced a mask layer previously made of hot air cotton to provide the necessary stability by a pure polypropylene layer. All key components of the mask – the nonwoven layers – are now made of fully recyclable polypropylene (PP) made by Borealis. The function layers of the FFP2 masks are produced on Reifenhäuser lines. "As the world's leading supplier of nonwoven lines, we have the necessary know-how and the appropriate technology to produce the outer layers and the crucial filter material," says Andreas Rösner, Strategic Product Development at Reifenhäuser Reicofil. The line produces consistently high quality, sufficient for a filtration efficiency of 99% (N99 / FFP3 standard), and high line availability, as Günter Grabher confirms from practical experience: "Our expectations have been fulfilled: The quality is right and the line has been running smoothly since the first day of commissioning. It doesn't get any better." Recyclable FFP2 masks Sorting quality is vital Grabher also has an answer to a second major challenge facing the recycling of masks. In order for masks to become new filter feedstock according to the Cradle2Cradle principle, a certain degree of sorting quality is vital. This is why Grabher relies on the collection and return system already tried and tested for conventional masks. The collected monomaterial masks, made of fully recyclable polypropylene (PP), can be immediately regranulated without further processing after hygienic UV cleaning. The recyclate is then processed on Reifenhäuser lines to produce the various function layers of FFP2 masks. However, the properties of the raw material are modified during recycling. For example, the melt flow index (MFI), that is the flow characteristics of the plastic, decreases. The higher the MFI, the finer the fibers produced. "For the filter layers of the mask, we need a high MFI for the very fine filaments," explains Günter Grabher. He adds, "That's why the recycled content for filter layers is 15%. On the other hand, the outer nonwoven layers do not require such fine fibers. They are therefore made from 100% recycled feedstock." Exhibitors & products around recycling Recycling plants Separating and sorting systems for waste Size reduction equipment (crushers, shredders, grinders) Compounding lines Recyclates Reducing the carbon footprint Source: Reifenhäuser Group But that's not all. Sustainable FFP2 masks are not only fully recyclable, their production also generates significantly lower CO 2 emissions than conventional protective face masks. "Climate neutrality is important to us, not only in terms of our responsibility to the environment, but it also means assuming an increasingly important role in complying with regulations, such as those imposed by EU taxonomy," says Günter Grabher. The Grabher Group has therefore geared its entire production process to achieving the lowest possible carbon footprint. For example, the company avoids long transport routes and manufactures masks entirely at its site in Lustenau (Austria). The feedstock used is an ISCC PLUS certified polypropylene made by Borealis based on The Bornewables™: These premium polyolefins are produced from renewable feedstock derived entirely from waste and residue streams, offering the same material performance as virgin polyolefins, while having a significantly smaller carbon footprint. The face mask nonwoven is produced with green power on energy-efficient line technology from Reifenhäuser. "Our line technology efficiently processes the feedstock into nonwoven," says Rösner. To achieve this, however, it is important that the line operates at optimum capacity - because recycled stock is somewhat more complex to process than virgin material. "Here, we had and continue to receive a lot of support from the experts at Reifenhäuser," says Günter Grabher. In mathematical terms, a recyclable FFP2 mask therefore has a carbon footprint of 8 grams of CO 2 equivalent - one tenth of a conventional mask produced in Asia. Combining sustainability and profitability Sustainable FFP2 masks available in Fall 2022. The first target groups for the climate-friendly recycling solution are healthcare facilities, companies, and trade shows. At trade shows, for example, masks could be handed out at the entrance and thrown into appropriate collection bins when people leave the trade show. A first test run took place at K 2022, the world's leading trade fair for plastics, from October 19 to 26 in Düsseldorf. "Basically, our system can be used wherever it is guaranteed a large percentage of the masks is returned,” says Grabher. "Ultimately, we have developed a circular economy application that is not only sustainable, but also works profitably." Source Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG Machine factory More around Recycling

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  • No longer gone with the wind: Fraunhofer Institute develops concepts for rotor blade recycling

    Interview with Niels Ludwig, coordinator of the project "Concept for recycling and reuse of rotor blades made of plastic composite materials" (KoReNaRo), Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES Exclusively for K-MAG Copyright: Fraunhofer IWES, Fraunhofer WKI 28.10.2022 After about 25 years, the rotor blades of a wind turbine have usually had their day. But what happens to them then? Together with the Institute for Energy and Circular Economy (IEkrW), the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems (IWES) is developing concepts in a project that should enable rotor blades to be better recycled and reused. Mr. Ludwig, what is the goal of your project "Concept for recycling and reuse of rotor blades made of plastic composite materials" and who is working on it? Niels Ludwig. Copyright: Nadja Mahjoub Fotografie Niels Ludwig: In the project, we are developing an economically feasible disposal strategy that achieves the highest possible recycling rate - we hope for up to 80 percent - and thus enables a sustainable circular economy. We are a cross-group and cross-institute recycling initiative comprising eight engineers and technicians from the fields of lightweight construction, plastics technology and aircraft construction. Why is the focus on wind turbine rotor blades of all things? Ludwig: To date, almost 30,000 wind turbines with a total output of over 50 gigawatts have been installed in Germany. The German government has announced that it wants to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. This is accompanied by new expansion targets for wind energy: By 2045, around 70 gigawatts are to be added offshore alone. At the same time, the EEG subsidies for some onshore turbines that have already been built ended last year, and some of them will be taken out of operation. We would like to optimize or further develop the recycling concepts currently available on the market for these end-of-life wind turbines (EoL turbines) and all subsequent ones. What happens to the rotor blades of a wind turbine so far? Ludwig: They are sawn into small pieces on site. Then the different materials are separated, as they have to be disposed of differently. Rotor blades consist - in addition to metal parts - in the main chord and skin of fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) with carbon (CFRP) and glass fibers (GFRP), as well as sandwich components made of balsa wood with plastic foams. At present, the FRP and sandwich components are shredded and burned in the cement plant mixed with so-called rejects. The heat is used as energy and the ash is also utilized, as burned glass fiber is used to produce quartz sand, which is urgently needed in the cement industry. The process is well established. But as soon as CFRP is in the rotor blade instead of GFRP, it does not work. The carbon fibers are not wanted and are sent to another disposal route: They are recycled using large-scale pyrolysis, in which the plastic they contain is thermally decomposed and the fibers can be recovered. The fibers can be processed into new nonwovens or even used ground in injection molding. But how do you know what is installed? Ludwig: That's not so easy. Sometimes it is no longer possible to find out what the rotor blade is made of - for example, because the company that built it 25 years ago is no longer on the market. That's why an important practical investigation, to which we are devoting ourselves intensively in the project, is the detection of the materials. We have therefore also disassembled an 83-meter rotor blade on our farm, among other things. Firstly, to see how this can be done effectively in terms of handling, given the size of the blade. And secondly, to clarify via thermal camera what the rotor blade is made of. Based on this and other data, we can design an automated initial treatment for the rotor blade. What else are you working on? Ludwig: Together with our partner, Bremen University of Applied Sciences, we are working in a test facility on the approach of recovering the high-quality carbon fibers from the thick-walled flange and belt materials by means of a so-called slow-batch pyrolysis. This is a process in which large pieces of the material, not the shredded material, are pushed into the pyrolysis furnace and heated. In the process, epoxy resin gasifies and oil is separated out. The oil can be used in the chemical industry, and the synthesis gases generated during the process can be used for energy or hydrogen production. What remains is the pure fiber. In principle, this could be reused, but it only has a small part of its original strength and is therefore not stable enough for a new rotor blade. What is being considered in terms of sustainability, however, and is already being developed, is to turn it into foamed glass that can be used as insulating glass. A large European glass manufacturer, which already produces insulating glass from its own glass waste, would support us in the follow-up project for implementation in developing the industrial application of our pyrolysis glass. This would actually give us a path of acceptance already. What is your next big milestone? Ludwig: The implementation phase with the establishment of a recycling center, which is divided into different parts. One part - the research part, where we establish detection with incoming and outgoing product knowledge - will be with us, a second part, the dismantling center, with one of our partners, a company in Bremerhaven, and the third part, slow-batch pyrolysis, with the Institute for Energy and Circular Economy at Bremen University of Applied Sciences. We would like to bundle all areas in one place in a project after next at a location in Bremerhaven or northern Germany. To this end, we are looking for an investor for the recycling center from industry in the next three to five years. We can prove to him through our research results that the recycling paths and technologies we have designed work and that the rotor blade market is there. After all, we are talking about billions of euros in investment. The KoReNaRo project is funded with 150,000 euros as part of the "Research for Sustainable Development - FONA3" program of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and started in October 2021. Funding is being provided for the conceptual design of a demonstration plant. A decision will subsequently be made on whether to fund implementation in a second phase. Silke Meny More around Renewable Energies

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