Suchergebnisse

World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF2025)

13. - 16. May 2025
Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo (Brazil) and online

In its ninth edition, WCEF will explore the potential of tropical solutions for sustainable growth, the power of the regenerative economy and the strategies of a bioeconomy - alongside the indispensable role of the production sector in driving the transition toward a circular economy.

Net-Zero Cement: Building a Sustainable Future

19. March 2025
Online

The webinar is part of the Net-Zero Industries Mission (NIM) Industry Insights Series. Leading innovators and industry experts will showcase solutions, from alternative materials and carbon capture technologies to innovative production processes.

rPS4FoodPackaging - Polystyrene Recycling for food contact applications

The production of recycled plastics for food contact applications is challenging. Besides recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) for beverage bottles, there are few alternatives in recycled plastics. This project focuses on researching a novel recycling process for polystyrene, aiming for approval of recycled polystyrene (rPS) for food contact applications.

PET2More - Biotechnological upcycling of PET plastic waste as a contribution to the gradual reduction of petroleum-based raw material dependency

The aim of the PET2More project is to develop a biotechnological process for upcycling PET plastic monomer waste. To this end, previously unknown and unavailable decarboxylase enzymes for the conversion of terephthalic acid and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid into valuable chemicals such as benzoic acid and furan-2-carboxylic acid are to be identified, characterized and optimized by means of enzyme engineering.

Circular Design - Getting from theory into practice

The project aims to provide recommendations for areas of action and measures that should promote the widespread use of circular design in Austria. For this purpose, the status quo of circular design in Austria is surveyed based on the circular design rules, obstacles for implementation are identified and best practice examples are presented.

OPENing Re-Use – Optimal planning decisions in the re-use sector

In an operational context, companies in the circular economy are faced daily with the question of whether a used product should be repaired, remanufactured, refurbished or recycled. The decision on what to do with used products is fraught with a great deal of uncertainty and must be made on a case-by-case basis - product-individually and depending on factors such as brand, condition, age, demand or recycling possibilities. As part of the "OPENing Re-Use" project, a business planning tool is being developed to support companies in their re-use planning, thereby increasing the efficiency of re-use processes and making re-use activities even more competitive with the purchase of new products.

IRONER - Potential for innovative and sustainable recycling of steel

Within the framework of the IRONER project, open questions were identified and the necessary innovations for increased steel recycling were developed. In addition to a material flow analysis, stakeholder interviews and ecological and economic considerations, the influences of increased steel recycling on metallurgical processes and material properties of steel products were examined.

Road-to-Road/ Verschränkung neuartiger Methoden zur effizienten „Road-to-Road“ Inwertsetzung von Altasphalt

The planned combination of experimental and model-based methods for assessing/describing the behavior of asphalt shall enable the goal-oriented optimization of the performance/durability of recycled asphalt, with the resulting positive effects (CO2 balance, transport distances, landfill volume) being quantified within the project.

EdeN - Efficient decentralized sustainable food production

In the EdeN project, a decentralized vertical farming concept is extended to meet circular economy requirements. The combination of vertical farming with closed energy-, resource- and distribution-loops is a possible disruptive concept in food production. The developed concepts will be accessible and transferable to other food producers, and its limitations will be pointed out.

NaKaReMa - Improving the sustainability of cable sheathing through regional, bio-based and recycled materials

The NaKaReMa project takes a holistic approach to cable sheathing for automotive applications and their improvement in terms of sustainability. To this end, various approaches are being investigated - both regional raw material sources to reduce transport routes and bio-based raw materials to reduce dependence on crude oil. The use of recyclates from cable sheathing to close the cycle through recycling is also being investigated.

EPSolutely - Development of a circular economy concept in the plastics industry using the example of EPS

In a system-wide cooperation of all relevant actors of the EPS value chain system, concepts, technologies and methods for an EPS circular economy are developed. The integration into an overall concept with optimised logistics and transport systems should enable the transformation of linear EPS value creation systems into a circular economy.

CEPAM – Circular Economy Powder for Additive Manufacturing

In the CEPAM research project, a recycling process for high-quality metal powders for additive manufacturing is developed. Various methods of energy input are being evaluated for energy efficiency, scalability and powder quality and built up on a pilot scale. The recycled metal powder is characterized and processed in the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process. In order to compare the mechanical properties of the printed components, parts are printed from both new and recycled powder.

DiRecT – Direct recycling and upcycling of titanium chips

In the project DiRecT, different new technologies will be developed and evaluated which make it possible to directly recycle the chips generated in the manufacturing process of high-quality titanium products or to produce directly from the chips near-net-shape components or improved semi-finished products (upcycling).

CircularBioMat – Recyclable biogenic materials for building installations and supply equipment

As part of CircularBioMat, numerous bio‐based materials – including bio‐polymers reinforced with natural fibers as well as recycled materials – are being tested for their suitability as a replacement for the petroleum‐based polymers that dominate technical building installations (TGA) and supply equipment.

PolyBacTex - Converting mixed textile waste into recycled fibres and cellulose for sustainable production

The project PolyBacTex is developing a solution for recycling of used mixed textiles by chemically separating and biotechnologically upgrading the individual fibre types (cellulose and polyester). This allows cellulose fibres to be recovered and returned to the fibre production process.

circPLAST‐mr Mechanical Recycling of Plastics: Mechanisches Recycling von Kunststoffen: From waste plastics to high‐quality and specification‐compliant recyclates

The flagship project circPLAST‐mr pursues the following 4 main objectives: (1) to identify and explore previously unused potential for mechanical plastics recycling, (2) to define and test key process steps for this on a laboratory/pilot scale, (3) to demonstrate the eco‐efficient marketability of increased recycled plastic volumes, and (4) to demonstrate the scalability of the laboratory/pilot process steps to industrial scale.

ReKEP

ReKEP relies on reusable transport containers instead of (disposable) cardboard packaging. These should be affordable, effective and flexible to use in the CEP sector (courier, express, parcel). The logistics processes involved are examined and adjustments are proposed to achieve economic, ecological and social sustainability.

Business model innovations for rental and service models in the manufacturing sector

The project aims to contribute to a better understanding of the economic and ecological potentials of an implementation of lending and service models in the manufacturing sector in Austria and to show which changes and R&D efforts are necessary so that these can be realized by suitable business models.

CircuPack - Recyclable materials for food packaging with a low ecological footprint

The goal of the project is to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly food packaging with an improved ecological footprint. It is important to develop a new process control that ensures both food compatibility and the sustainability of the resulting product.

DigiTech4CE - Digital key technologies for circular production

DigitTech4CE analysed industrial cycles in discrete, digitalised production; their participants, advantages/disadvantages and framework conditions, as well as the key digital technologies required. Fields of action were developed, according to the needs of Austrian industry. Recommendations for action serve the development of sustainable, Austrian production that builds and expands competitiveness through circular innovations.