Extrusion International 4-2022

52 Extrusion International 4/2022 CIRCULAR ECONOMY – FROM RESEARCH Achieving Sustainability Targets by Digital Means A Holistic Approach to Identifying Solutions for Improved Recyclate Use As part of the European Green Deal, an international shift to a circular economy is being promoted at EU level. This involves, among other things, setting the course to reduce environmental damage caused by emissions, making sustainable use of finite resources, and enabling the recycling and reuse of as many materials as possible. The recycling-friendly optimisation of products and processes – also in plastics processing – is essential for achieving these European targets. The complex and varying composition of recyclate material, in combination with the lack of evaluation standards, is creating obstacles against its industrial use. In addition, regulatory restrictions can frequently not be fulfilled. Finally, there is a lack of information along the process chain of plastics products that is needed to guarantee ecological and sustainable optimisation. T he level of contamination and, in this connection, also the product design has a key influence on the recycla - te properties. Packaging often consists of several compo- nents, for example from different plastics as well as addi- tives, printing inks or adhesives. Apart from that, recyclate material has experienced various types of stress during its utilisation and processing. This leads to different lev- els and types of damage to the material, and affects the properties of the products in later use. The uncertainty about the origin and composition of the recycled plastic material also makes it difficult to define its characteristics and to determine the data that are important for meeting the regulatory requirements and for its processing. IKV has, since the 1980s, been working on solutions to numer- ous questions in this area of research. Digital approaches promote closed loop recycling Especially in combination with digital innovations, such research results have the potential to solve these challeng- es, and are regarded as a driving force when it comes to raising recycling quotas and promoting the circular econo- my in the field of plastics. In this connection, data platforms are of elementary importance for increasing the general exchange of information, for tracking material flows and for documenting sustainability data on raw materials and products. By exchanging the collected sustainability data, it is possible to document the effects exerted by the de- sign and the process, to draw up transparent and accurate life cycle assessments, and to align the recycling of plastic waste. The development and implementation of such ap- proaches – aimed at increasing the real recyclate applica- tion quotas – requires the involvement of all players in the plastics industry. R-Cycle pilot project - Identifiable and fully recyclable all-PE pouches (Picture: R-Cycle)