Paving the way to an increased share of recycled plastics in added value products (RIA)

Expected Outcome:

Circularity and the increase of the content of recycled plastics in value added products are central to the European Strategy for Plastics.

Projects are expected to contribute to several of the following outcomes:

• Establish EU broadly accepted definition of recyclate and develop relevant verification methods for recycled content in products.
• Establish EU broadly accepted procedures to control the consistent quality of recyclates; characterise their suitability for specific applications and trace the recyclates back to their origin;
• Deliver a clear approach to prevent some potentially hazardous substances to enter the recycled plastics system;
• Enhancing ownership and engagement of the society through active collaboration and empowering people and communities as actors of the circular plastic transition. At medium term, to fulfil the growing demand for recycled plastic content in market products;
• At a longer term, to pave the way toward recyclable-by-design plastics.

Scope:

To allow recycled plastics to be more promptly taken up as raw material for new products there is a need for reliable and standardised procedures to characterise, trace back origin and guarantee the safety of the recyclates. The proposals should address one or more of the following areas:

• Developing standard, robust and easy to use sampling and analysis procedures to ensure consistent recyclate quality and safe products. Develop methodologies to establish the degree of degradation of recycled materials and to foresee their end-of-life;
• Developing and standardising methods for traceability. Allow the identification of origin of recycled materials via digital information management, e.g. marking technologies or blockchain;
• Detect and separate legacy additive in the waste stream, and ensure safe recycling of plastics containing such additives;
• Diffusing innovation, developing overarching best practices and build up communities to stimulate demonstration.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination.

Proposals should actively pursue the involvement of all the actors in the value chain from the chemical and material industry, to formulators, recyclers, public authorities and standardisation bodies.

This topic is open for international cooperation where the EU has reciprocal benefit, while excluding industrial competitors from countries where the safeguarding of IPRs cannot be guaranteed.

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