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

In the REPurpose project, 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 non-fossil content steering REP to higher value than the original plastic waste fractions: 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) specialty 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 building and construction, all advised by experts in safety- and sustainability-by-design, life cycle assessment, business modelling and Responsible Research and Innovation.

Four universities and research centres, a non-profit organisation, 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.