Collection of raw materials, removal of flame retardants and reuse of secondary raw materials
CREAToR focusses on process development and demonstration (to TRL 5) to remove hazardous, already banned bromine-containing flame-retardants from waste streams using continuous purification technologies (supercritical CO2 and cost-effective solvent-based processes using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)) in twin-screw extruders. CREAToR will cover the whole value chain, starting from collecting thermoplastic waste streams from building and construction (B&C) and from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Respective recyclers and sorters of both industries are part of the CREAToR consortium. The project will implement ways to collect secondary raw materials, identify the presence of hazardous flame retardants, remove these contaminants from the materials and finally reuse the materials. As case studies they will be reused as valuable secondary raw materials for new B&C insulation panels, closing the circle of economy, for automotive interior application, and for producing 3 D printed parts for aerospace applications. The respective end user partners are also part of the CREAToR consortium. For further increasing the economic feasibility of the approach an optimised logistic concept and a harmonized material quality classification scheme will be developed and applied. CREAToR will create a circular economy solution, transforming waste streams that are currently incinerated at costs of >180 €/t (especially from the B&C and WEEE sector) into value-bringing secondary raw materials. The economic viability of CREAToR will be validated through material benchmarking and LCA/LCC assessment for the whole value chain resulting in next generation products. The strong industrial/recycler presence in the consortium (12 industrial partners, among them three recyclers, six SMEs, and six large enterprises) will ensure the market relevance of the developments and the rapid commercialisation of the results within 1-2 years after the end of the project.