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A new circular economy concept: from textile waste towards chemical and textile industries feedstock

Project Leader: Gübitz Georg, Project Leader

Duration:: 01.06.2015-31.05.2019

Programme:: Horizon 2020 - Societal Challenges - Innovation Action (IA)

Type of Research: Applied Research

Project partners: ABOUTGOODS COMPANY, 6 bis Avenue des îles, 74000 Annecy, France.
Contact person: M. René LE CAIGNEC;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; ARKEMA, 420 rue d'Estienne d'Orves, 92700 Colombes, France.
Contact person: Jean-Luc DUBOIS;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Biochemtex SpA, Strada Ribrocca, 11, 15057 Tortona (AL), Italy.
Contact person: Dr. Alessandra FRATTINI:;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; CEFIC - The European Chemical Industry Council, Avenue E. van Nieuwenhuyse, 1160 Brussels, Belgium.
Contact person: Dr. Jacques KOMORNICKI;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; CHIMAR Hellas S.A., Greece.
Contact person: Mrs. Electra Papadopoulou,;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Dettin S.p.A., Via Campania, 9, 36015 Schio (VI) , Italy.
Contact person: Mr Giorgio Cafaggi;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; EURATEX - The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, 24, rue Montoyer; Bte. 10, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Contact person: Lutz Walter;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre, Leuven, Belgium.
Contact person: Dr. Andy Lambrechts;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; IOS - Institute for environmental protection and sensors , Beloruska ulica 7, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
Contact person: Prof. Dr. Aleksandra Lobnik;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; NTUA - National Technical University of Athens , Greece.
Contact person: Prof. Antonis Kokossis;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Prospex Institute vzw, Oudergemselaan 36, 1040 Brussels, Belgium.
Contact person: Dr. Marc Gramberger;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Quantis Sàrl, EPFL Innovation Park, Bât. D, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Contact person: Arnaud Dauriat;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; SEPAREX S.A.S., 5 rue Jacques Monod, 54250 Champigneulles, France.
Contact person: Audrey Ngomsik-Fanselow;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; SOEX Textil-Vermarktungsges. m.b.H., Kampstrasse 29, 23843 Bad Oldesloe, Germany.
Contact person: Pailak MZIKIAN;
Function of the Project Partner: Koordinator; Sustainability Consult, 9 rue Emmanuel Van Driessche, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Contact person: Kathryn Sheridan;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Tekstina d.d. , Tovarniška cesta 15, 5270 Ajdovščina, Slovenia.
Contact person: Lucija Kobal;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; The University of Manchester, M13 9PL Manchester, United Kingdom.
Contact person: Dr David Tyler;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; University of Maribor, Slomkov trg 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
Contact person: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Dr. Bojana Vončina ;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner; Valagro Carbone Renouvelable, 4, Rue Marcel Doré - Bâtiment B14, 86000 Poitiers, France.
Contact person: Frédéric Bataille;
Function of the Project Partner: Partner

Staff: Quartinello Felice, Project Staff

BOKU Research Units: Institute for Environmental Biotechnology

Funded by: Commission of the European Communities, Rue de la Loi, Brussels, European Union

Abstract: The RESYNTEX project aims at designing, developing and demonstrating new high environmental impact industrial symbiosis between the unwearable blends and pure components of textile waste and the chemical and textile industries. The project comprises: - a strategic design of the whole value chain from textile waste collection, until the new marketable feedstock for chemical & textile industrie, by which the symbiosis opportunities are evaluated (by public authorities and the private sector) in terms of their social, technical, economic, environmental and legislative aspects - the improvement of collection approaches particularly for non-wearable textiles for recycling by changing citizen’s behaviour and creation of tools for higher social involvement and recycling promotion. This will ensure a greater accessibility to textile waste as resource and increase the textile waste rates destined for recycling. With 50% collection rate all over Europe would be a significant improvement in order to provide large quantities of feedstock - a data aggregation system that will be developed and implemented in order to ensure waste traceability and also provide relevant data for economic and environmental assessment; - the development of new business models adapted for different synergies identified and for new markets. In addition, environmental LCA and LCC for different scenarios and identification of the most promising routes and synergies will support this objective - automation of the macro separation and sorting for pure or blended textiles, in order to enhance productivity and competitiveness of the whole recycling process - a new demonstration process based on a synergistic chemical and biotechnological cascading separation/transformation approach of textile basic components (proteins, cellulose, polyamide and polyester) from textile blends as basic feedstock materials for chemical & textile industries. Liquid and solid waste treatment and valorisation will close the loop.

Keywords: Chemical process engineering; Environmental biotechnology; Enzyme technology; Industrial biotechnology;; Enzymatic Recycling;