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Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Towards a new model of C&DW management for a circular supply chain integrating innovative solutions for a better recovery of Raw Materials

Objectives of the commitment

1. C&DW minimization in the EU: to achieve an effective culture of dismantling, to improve construction and management practices and to promote more efficient solutions for reusing C&DW
2. Developing improved recovering and recycling solutions towards near-zero waste
3. Design, development and production of novel construction products and materials (with higher levels of Secondary raw materials from C&DW and improved mechanical properties) from a life cycle perspective.
4. Pilot scale demonstration of solutions and products to validate innovative C&DW recovery solutions. Technical, environmental and economic feasibility.
5. Developing Circular economy strategies for C&DW recycled materials
6. Dissemination of expertise/experiences/knowledge and best practices derived from the commitment

Description of the activities

The work plan will be structured in 6 Activities linked with the SIP for the EIP on Raw Materials. ● A1. WASTE MINIMIZATION AT CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION SITES The main objective is to minimize C&DW in the EU through an effective culture of dismantling and to improve construction and management practices. The activity will be focused on production, construction and demolition phases carrying out: ○ Analysis and evaluation of existing data about national & regional waste generation and design of waste prevention models. ○ Guidelines on selective deconstruction ○ Development of secondary raw material resource planning concept ○ Waste production minimization and raw materials needed in products through the development of new technological strategies ● A2. ADVANCED ZERO WASTE RECYCLING SOLUTIONS The main objectives are to obtain optimized and improved recycling solutions to promote an efficient reuse and recycle, and to achieve better recycling and recovery rates. Research will be focused for specific materials assessment: Mineral Fraction (aggregates, concrete, bricks), non- mineral fraction (wood, glass and metals) on the following activities: ○ Feature definitions for the correct recycling ○ Optimization methods in secondary raw material supply chain ○ Identification of the economic balances ○ Optimization methods in C&DW recycling ○ Refinement and purification of raw materials from C&DW to obtain pure material fractions. ○ Design and construction of equipment for an effective separation ● A3. INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS The purpose is to design, to develop and to manufacture new production process to obtain products and materials reusing or recycling secondary resources from C&DW. The aim is to produce and to characterize new added value construction products and materials. This activity consists in increasing the emphasis on raw materials and material efficiency, without loss of functionality, in the implementation of the Eco-design Directive by ○ Eco-design ○ Product policy framework ○ Improved production techniques ○ Moving from low grade applications to high grade application ○ Research on application for energy saving ● A4. INNOVATIVE PILOT OPERATIONS The goals are to validate the effectiveness of recycling solutions and using demonstrations prototypes to check the quality and performance characteristics of the products and materials manufactured with secondary raw materials. ○ Implementation of recycling solutions ○ Testing of prototype ○ Case Studies ○ Monitoring program ● A5. DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE CIRCULAR BUSINESS MODELS The objective is to develop a new model of circular economy management as an alternative to traditional linear economy. The aim is demonstrating the advantages associated with C&DW treatment to support a resource efficient economy, reducing the quantity and impact of waste produced whilst promoting sustainable economic growth working on: ○ Market analysis ○ Business model / Business plans ○ Policies, Standard and Regulation ● A6. DISSEMINATION&AWARENESS FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION The objective of this activity is to disseminate the results of the commitment to the stakeholders and the general public. Associations will be the communication channels to distribute the achievements. In line with the dissemination activities the knowledge and expertise will be transferred by the collection of experiences, creation of networks for the transfer of know-how developing dissemination plans and training activities.

Description of the expected impacts

This commitment aims to achieve the European policy target of a minimum of 70% of C&DW prepared for reuse, recycled or other recovery according to the waste hierarchy priority established in Directive 2008/98/EC by acting in the different secondary raw materials that can be obtained from C&DW under a sustainable management system.
Highest impacts are expected for mineral fraction (80% of total C&DW) with an objective of achieving more than 80% of the recovery rate by the development of innovative technological solutions and working on new guidelines that will help to develop new local and national non-technological strategies.
3 billion tons of aggregates are needed in EU per year and currently only 6% corresponds to recycled aggregates. This commitment expects to achieve the target of 10% of virgin material substituted which could save around 480 million €, considering around 4€/ton of savings from the use of recycled aggregate.
Wood is a major construction material in northern countries. About 65% of the wood waste generated in EU was estimated to be recovered as material or energy and this commitment expects to move the use of wood to material recovery in those countries where recycling is possible.
Other fractions, such as glass and metals, have a high market value when they are separated. The new management model will allow an optimized separation through improved technological solutions.
This commitment aims to support a harmonized approach to EU C&DW legislation and improved national implementation and contribution to new standards thanks to the involvement of public and standardization bodies.
Another expected impact is the increase of competitiveness of SMEs thanks to their involvement in this commitment and the generated knowledge that they can create for other SMEs

Coordinating organisation & role

Name of the coordinating organisation: ACCIONA InfraestructurasCountry: SpainEntity profile: Private sector - large companyRole within the commitment:

Coordinators of the commitment, ACCIONA’s research will be focused on the application of new technologies for waste recycling in construction sites and finding and applying new technologies of valorization of secondary raw materials in construction sites. ACCIONA will participate in the activities related to waste minimization, zero waste solutions, innovative processes and pilot operations.

Other partners

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.

Name of the organisation: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V. Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Fraunhofer will lead the CFRP and GFRP recycling research.
Fraunhofer will perform corrosion tests on the developed materials.
Fraunhofer will work with CIDAUT on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project. Fraunhofer is the Quality Manager of the Consortium and will oversee deliverables and general reporting are produced with the best possible quality following agreed review standards.

Fundacion Cidaut

Name of the organisation: Fundacion Cidaut Country: Spain Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: CIDAUT will lead the research activities on materials recycling and compounding, implementing lab scale demonstrators of each process at its premises and, later, supporting end-users upscale the processes.
CIDAUT will perform mechanical tests, microstructural analyses, injection moulding capability studies on the developed materails, and will work with Fraunhofer on the implementation, validation and refinement of LCCA tools for the project.

RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV)

Name of the organisation: RWTH Aachen University (Institute of plastic processing (IKV) Country: Germany Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: RWTH will implement the novel 3D Generative Preforming process (3D Fibre Spraying) that enables to create high-value long fibre-reinforced 3D preforms for thermoplastic and thermoset composites at low process costs (different kinds of yarn as a raw material, low tooling costs due to low cavity pressures). This cost effective technology allows to align the sprayed fibres in order to produce high-performance, engineered anisotropic products.

Universita' di Cagliari

Name of the organisation: Universita' di Cagliari Country: Italy Entity profile:
Role within the commitment: University of Cagliari is one of the leading European organization in the resin design and coupling with thermoplastic and thermose materials. University of Cagliari will support in the definition of the composite materials, both from CFRP/GFRP, ABS and Rare Earth composite material.

Relight

Name of the organisation: Relight Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: RELIGHT will work with ITRB to provide the research partners with residues for the recycled ABS supply and the REE recovery processes, including their HydroWEEE process as part of the processes to be studied and analyzed.

Piaggio Aerospace

Name of the organisation: Piaggio Aerospace Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - large company
Role within the commitment: Piaggio Aerospace is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Piaggio will assist in the compounds selection, provide Fraunhofer with specific corrosion requirements on business jet size aircraft, and will assess that the developed materials performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.

Blackshape Aircrafts

Name of the organisation: Blackshape Aircrafts Country: Italy Entity profile: Private sector - SME
Role within the commitment: Blackshape Aircrafts is one of the project End Users (Aeronautics Industry): as such it will provide requirements and further applications that could be developed with the Consortium Materials. Blackshape will support to fulfill the requirements of the aeronautics industry on ultra light jet, light jet and trainer for Syllabus, and will assess that the developed alloys performance fits the selected applications desired improvements.

KU Leuven

Name of the organisation: KU Leuven Country: Belgium Entity profile: Academia
Role within the commitment: KUL will collaborate on the balance problem studies and will lead the rare earth recovery research with the solvometallurgical and ionometallurgical processes.
KUL will also contribute to the final compounding selection.
KUL is the Dissemination Manager of the project, promoting that all partners are active on the project Dissemination.

FIDAMC

Name of the organisation: FIDAMC Country: Spain Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: FIDAMC is going to lead the Work Package on Compression Moulding with CFRP-enhanced materials. As part of the AIRBUS Group, FIDAMC will also be able to provide the input material.
FIDAMC successfully developed a 3D Printer of own design to serve the Aerospace Industry and will be supporting Smart Lab 3D Industries in its 3D printer design.

COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER

Name of the organisation: COMPOSITE INNOVATION CENTER Country: Canada Entity profile: Governmental/public body
Role within the commitment: Composite Innovation Center is one of the world leading organization in the field of Composite materials, both from carbon fiber and vegetal-based fibers.
Composite Innovation center has successfully implemented, at lab-scale, recycling processes for CFRP and GFRP.

Existing EU Contribution: Yes

Period to implement the commitment: from 01-06-2014 to 31-12-2020