De-and Remanufacturing for Circular Economy Investments in the Composite Industry

ongoing

Fiber-reinforced plastics are the structural materials used in a large variety of consumer and industrial products, but the management of post-use composite products in compliance to the circular economy principles is still a serious challenge. The DeremCo project aims to establish a systemic, cross-sectorial, Demand-Driven Circular Economy solution that will unlock the cost-effective reuse of post-use composite materials and components in new high-added value products, grounding on the inter-relation between the technical and social eco-systems at local and interregional level and bringing benefit to the environment, industry, consumers and the European society. Two circular pilot strategies will be followed to meet the consumer requirements: i) mechanical demanufacturing and hybrid reprocessing, ii) thermo-chemical demanufacturing and textile reprocessing. In line with new DeremCo Demand-Driven vision the circular value-chain is transformed into a “pull” system, where the requirements and specifications on the materials and components to be re-used are transferred directly from the demand side in terms of characteristics and functionalities of the high added-value products re-using them. To ensure sustainability and continuation, main goals will be to facilitate the industrial uptake within local eco-systems, to de-risk future industrial uptake through private investments and to increase awareness for a more conscious consumer behaviour. To achieve these goals, Lombardy (Italy), Basque Country (Spain), Tampere (Finland), Slovenia and Upper Austria (Austria) will demonstrate 14 composite re-use business cases with tested sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes, then replicated and multiplicated across European regions, facilitated by a dedicated multi-stakeholder Digital Platform.