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

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）被升级回收为新的功能性“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。将纳入从生物质或酶降解聚烯烃或纸张和纸板废物中提取的新构建块，使REP聚合物具有独特的特征：1)可调节的弹性特性，避免了对添加剂的需求；2)在现有设备上进行生产、加工和回收，从而避免了巨额的资本支出投资；3)不同栖息地的可控降解；4)前所未有的无限回收，在每一个回收步骤中都胜过化石碳。REPurpose的x因素在于非化石成分使REP的价值高于原始PET：世界上第一个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的生态杠杆相结合，当良好的营销、生产和服务围绕这一创新的REPurpose平台时，将产生相当大的市场牵引力。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)专业生物或基于废物的构建块生产商，iii) REP聚合、处理和检测的技术开发商，到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）、生命周期评估专家提供建议。商业模式和负责任的研究与创新。来自七个欧盟国家和英国的四所大学和研究中心，一家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，并创建了一个有弹性和可持续的欧洲塑料工业。

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.