Increasingly, plastic components are being used in vehicles rather than metal ones, as plastic is lighter. The automotive industry is gradually stepping up the percentage of recycled plastic to reduce its environmental impact.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is a non-profit research association active in the plastics industry. It has launched the SURFTOP Project to develop the use of recycled plastic in vehicle parts.
The FOODY EU project promotes entrepreneurial skills and employment of young people, using circular economy principles to combat unemployment. It provides comprehensive information on the management and environmental impacts of food waste, using the food industry and waste management sector to instill in young people the value of resource conservation.
The BUILD-LIMONENE initiative is working on additives and biodegradable materials with a lower carbon footprint that can be used in the construction industry and become viable alternatives to the fossil-based materials currently available.
This new technology will contribute to the recovery of waste by using citrus peels and CO2 emissions.
From its base in the northern Netherlands, JC-Electronics supplies new, refurbished and repaired industrial electronics. By giving used and defective devices a second life, the company contributes to the circular economy and helps customers reduce their carbon footprint.
The RECIMAP project aims to recycle blended cotton and polyester fabric waste, thus contributing to the circular economy in the textile industry.
Recovering this waste will make it possible to obtain recycled polyester and lactic acid, both in high demand on the market. Lactic acid is an essential component for the production of polylactic acid (PLA).
This UNEP report outlines what each stakeholder group can do individually and collectively to reach the shared destination of a circular textile sector.
The DRIVE 0 project - a collaboration of 7 European countries - has developed Circular Homes, a user-centered digital platform to provide information and resources on circular renovation to homeowners, consumers, and professionals. The platform offers comprehensive resources to understand and implement circularity principles in the built environment.
Key features:
providing clear and concise explanations of circularity and circular renovation practices
a circular self-assessment tool and
a collection of DIY projects that homeowners and consumers can undertake to make their homes more circular.
Objectives:
helping people make their homes more circular
offering advice on saving energy, water and materials, and
improving comfort, air quality or consumption habits.
Eco Repair Score NV and VITO have developed the Eco Repair Score® to assess the environmental impact of a specific car repair job. It does this using a single score, with categories from A to E and associated colour coding.
RCA Engineering has come up with modular plants for recycling composite materials. The modular engineering and construction process produces plants that can be assembled quickly and affordably.
Gravity Wave is a social start-up based in Spain. It focuses on working with small-scale fishermen to collect as much as possible of the plastic waste fouling the Mediterranean, from water bottles to a whole load of discarded fishing nets.