Recyclable Elastomeric Plastics safely and sUstainably designed and produced via enzymatic Recycling of Post-cOnsumer waSte strEams (REPurpose)

通过酶法回收消费后废物流（REPurpose）安全、可持续地设计和生产可回收弹性塑料

• 批准号: 10061175
• 金额: $ 63.29万
• 依托单位: EPOCH BIODESIGN LTD
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: EU-Funded
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10061175
• 关键词: Recyclable; Elastomeric; Plastics; safely; sUstainably

In the REPurpose project, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) coming from local, post-consumer waste is upcycled to new functional "REP polymers" targeting the high-value market of thermoplastic elastomers that nowadays encounter recycling problems. New building blocks derived from biomass or enzymatically degraded polyolefin or paper and cardboard waste will be incorporated giving the REP polymers unique features: i) tuneable elastomeric properties avoiding the need for additives, ii) production, processing and recycling on existing equipment thus avoiding the need for huge CAPEX investments, iii) controllable degradation in different habitats, and iv) unprecedented indefinite recycling, outcompeting fossil carbon with every recycling step. REPurpose's X-factor hence lies in the nonfossil content steering REP to higher value than original PET: the first biodegradable and recyclable elastomeric polycondensates in the world. Combining the functional strength with the leverage in ecology in higher-end applications, will create a considerable market traction when good marketing, production and servicing are surrounding this innovative REPurpose platform. To enable this development, the REPurpose consortium is spanning the value chain from i) waste handler, recyclers and regulatory framework advocates over ii) speciality bio- or waste-based building block producers, iii) technology developers for REP polymerisation, processing and detection, to iv) end users for consumer goods, automotive and B&C, all advised by experts in safety- and sustainability-by-design (SSBD), life cycle assessment, business modelling and Responsible Research and Innovation. Four universities and research centres, a non-profit organisation, and six SMEs (including two start-ups) from seven EU countries and the UK address the research challenges and pave the way for bringing the innovation to the broad public and creating a resilient and sustainable European plastics industry.

在REPurpose项目中，来自当地消费后废物的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）被升级为新的功能性“REP聚合物”，目标是目前遇到回收问题的热塑性弹性体的高价值市场。将加入源自生物质或酶降解聚烯烃或纸张和纸板废料的新结构单元，使REP聚合物具有独特的功能：i）可调节的弹性体性能，避免了对添加剂的需要，ii）在现有设备上生产、加工和回收，从而避免了对巨大CAPEX投资的需要，iii）在不同生境中的可控降解，以及iv）前所未有的无限期回收，在每一个回收步骤上都胜过化石碳。因此，REPurpose的X因素在于非化石成分将REP引导到比原始PET更高的价值：世界上第一种可生物降解和可回收的弹性体缩聚物。将功能优势与高端应用中的生态杠杆相结合，当良好的营销，生产和服务围绕这个创新的REPurpose平台时，将创造相当大的市场吸引力。为了实现这一发展，REPurpose联盟正在跨越价值链，从i）废物处理商，回收商和监管框架倡导者到ii）专业生物或废物基积木生产商，iii）REP聚合，加工和检测的技术开发商，iv）消费品，汽车和B&C的最终用户，所有这些都由安全和可持续性设计（SSBD）专家提供建议，生命周期评估，商业建模和负责任的研究和创新。来自七个欧盟国家和英国的四所大学和研究中心，一个非营利组织和六家中小企业（包括两家初创企业）解决了研究挑战，并为将创新带给广大公众铺平了道路，创造了一个有弹性和可持续的欧洲塑料行业。