RECYCLING OF CONTAMINATED PET WASTE

AI Quick Summary

The IWK suggests an approach where the material is mechanically recycled. Our machine park and qualified specialists allow to cover the entire process from milling to compounding to final processes (e.g. extrusion or injection moulding) and also analyzing and testing the materials as needed.We have a high level ofexperience in the field of PET recycling that we could apply in severalprojects, such as the recycling of textiles coming from post-industrial andpost-consumer sources. Thematic focusAutoneum is a global leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles and partner for automobile manufacturers around the world. The company develops and produces components that enhance a quiet and comfortable driving experience with a low environmental impact at the same time.The project idea for this call is to mechanically recycle and process PET-material from Autoneum’s post-industrial trim-waste into pellets that can be used for fibre spinning again. The focus lies mostly on trims that occur during the manufacturing process.This idea fits to the Innovation Booster as mechanical recycling can reduce the needed resources and emissions for products significantly. Degree of innovationRecycling of PET-materials is already a well-established concept. However, nowadays most of the recycling takes place with clean and sorted PET waste, such as beverage bottles, with only very few contaminations.In this project, the products contain only approx. 70% PET, the rest is PP, PA and/or cotton. The high percentage of contaminations and the use of fibres is a much greater technological challenge because the entire process pre-treatment (feeding, compounding, etc.) has to be adapted and solutions for removing of the contaminations have to be found.Therefore, circular recycling of this material is until today not possible, it is mostly downcycled or disposed.If this project is successful, it would potentially also be possible to make a feasibility study for recycling post-consumer PET-materials from Autoneum. EffectThe EU has decided that the emissions of automobiles have to be reduced by 55% until 2030 and 100% until 2035 (European Commission: European Green Deal, 2021). Also, the manufacturers of components in the automotive industry have to drastically minimize the emissions of their products and have to declare the carbon footprint according to ISO 14067.With the current processes, up to 50% of the material is trimmed. Therefore, the CO2 emissions could be reduced by approx. 50%. The exact rate will be evaluated in this project and depends on the processes needed.This project idea allows Autoneum to keep their position as market leader and stay competitive as automotive supplier because they can reduce emissions by using less virgin material for their products. Additionally, it complies with the sustainability target which are reducing their emissions by 20% and the waste by 40% until 2027. Methodological qualityThe methodology in this project is according to the work packages (see section Scope and Tasks). This procedure has been proven to be very efficient in other recycling projects of the IWK with PET-materials and textiles.Thanks to the modern machine park at IWK (mill, compounder, extruders, etc.) and highly qualified specialists, the entire process from recycling of the material until production of prototypes can be covered inhouse. There is also a well-equipped laboratory to analyse materials and perform different tests. Gender and DiversityThere are male and female experts working on the project at both Autoneum and IWK. Scope and TasksThe following tasks will be executed at IWK if not declared otherwise. WP1: Evaluation (01.01.2023 - 01.04.2023)· Analysis and review of the specifications of the available materials (PET-PP, PET-PA-Cotton, PET-PP-Cotton)· Design of experiments· Sourcing of materials (trims, fleece, etc.)-> Autoneum· Pre-treatment of the material (sorting, agglomeration, pelletizing, etc.) WP2: Testing and Validation (01.04.2023 - 30.09.2023)· Tests at the compounder (feeding, compounding, pelletizing)· Compatibilization of the different polymers· Analysis of the recycled material (Intrinsic viscosity, etc.)-> IWK, Autoneum· Validation of fibre spinning potential and process stability-> IWK, Autoneum BudgetThe detailed budget including the distributions of the budget between the project partners is attached to this application.Here is a summary of the budget:Total project budget (funding + personnel costs Autoneum): CHF 29'462Seed money from the Innovation Booster Plastics for Zero Emission: CHF 25'000Mandatory assessment of CO2 reduction potential (external experts): CHF 1'000

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: RECYCLING OF CONTAMINATED PET WASTE
• Date: 9/30/2022 10:05:25 AM
• Administrators:
  • Karin Brändli Hedlund

Project Idea Description

Thematic focus

Autoneum is a global leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles and partner for automobile manufacturers around the world. The company develops and produces components that enhance a quiet and comfortable driving experience with a low environmental impact at the same time.

The project idea for this call is to mechanically recycle and process PET-material from Autoneum’s post-industrial trim-waste into pellets that can be used for fibre spinning again. The focus lies mostly on trims that occur during the manufacturing process.

This idea fits to the Innovation Booster as mechanical recycling can reduce the needed resources and emissions for products significantly.

Degree of innovation

Recycling of PET-materials is already a well-established concept. However, nowadays most of the recycling takes place with clean and sorted PET waste, such as beverage bottles, with only very few contaminations.

In this project, the products contain only approx. 70% PET, the rest is PP, PA and/or cotton. The high percentage of contaminations and the use of fibres is a much greater technological challenge because the entire process pre-treatment (feeding, compounding, etc.) has to be adapted and solutions for removing of the contaminations have to be found.

Therefore, circular recycling of this material is until today not possible, it is mostly downcycled or disposed.

If this project is successful, it would potentially also be possible to make a feasibility study for recycling post-consumer PET-materials from Autoneum.

Effect

The EU has decided that the emissions of automobiles have to be reduced by 55% until 2030 and 100% until 2035 (European Commission: European Green Deal, 2021). Also, the manufacturers of components in the automotive industry have to drastically minimize the emissions of their products and have to declare the carbon footprint according to ISO 14067.

With the current processes, up to 50% of the material is trimmed. Therefore, the CO2 emissions could be reduced by approx. 50%. The exact rate will be evaluated in this project and depends on the processes needed.

This project idea allows Autoneum to keep their position as market leader and stay competitive as automotive supplier because they can reduce emissions by using less virgin material for their products. Additionally, it complies with the sustainability target which are reducing their emissions by 20% and the waste by 40% until 2027.

Methodological quality

The methodology in this project is according to the work packages (see section Scope and Tasks). This procedure has been proven to be very efficient in other recycling projects of the IWK with PET-materials and textiles.

Thanks to the modern machine park at IWK (mill, compounder, extruders, etc.) and highly qualified specialists, the entire process from recycling of the material until production of prototypes can be covered inhouse. There is also a well-equipped laboratory to analyse materials and perform different tests.

Gender and Diversity

There are male and female experts working on the project at both Autoneum and IWK.

Scope and Tasks

The following tasks will be executed at IWK if not declared otherwise.

WP1: Evaluation (01.01.2023 - 01.04.2023)

· Analysis and review of the specifications of the available materials (PET-PP, PET-PA-Cotton, PET-PP-Cotton)

· Design of experiments

· Sourcing of materials (trims, fleece, etc.)

-> Autoneum

· Pre-treatment of the material (sorting, agglomeration, pelletizing, etc.)

WP2: Testing and Validation (01.04.2023 - 30.09.2023)

· Tests at the compounder (feeding, compounding, pelletizing)

· Compatibilization of the different polymers

· Analysis of the recycled material (Intrinsic viscosity, etc.)

-> IWK, Autoneum

· Validation of fibre spinning potential and process stability

-> IWK, Autoneum

Budget

The detailed budget including the distributions of the budget between the project partners is attached to this application.

Here is a summary of the budget:

• Total project budget (funding + personnel costs Autoneum): CHF 29'462
• Seed money from the Innovation Booster Plastics for Zero Emission: CHF 25'000
• Mandatory assessment of CO2 reduction potential (external experts): CHF 1'000

The IWK suggests an approach where the material is mechanically recycled. Our machine park and qualified specialists allow to cover the entire process from milling to compounding to final processes (e.g. extrusion or injection moulding) and also analyzing and testing the materials as needed.

We have a high level of

experience in the field of PET recycling that we could apply in several

projects, such as the recycling of textiles coming from post-industrial and

post-consumer sources.