CIRCULAR FOAM – Systemic expansion of territorial CIRCULAR Ecosystems for end-of-life FOAM

Focus topics: Circular Economy, Circular Value Chain, Polyurethane Foams, Waste Management

About the project

The European Union is challenged with the increasing global consumption, growing pressure on resources as well as the uncertainty of critical raw materials. Coupled with the goal to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050, there is an urgent need to decouple economic growth from resource use and to ensure a swift transition to circular solutions.

The EU-funded research project "CIRCULAR FOAM - Systemic expansion of territorial CIRCULAR Ecosystems for end-of-life FOAM" has set itself the goal of developing model solutions for the introduction of a circular economy for the recycling of plastic, using the example of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams used as insulation in refrigerators and construction.

The respective waste streams will be recycled chemically, which means that they will be valorised to become new virgin-equivalent feedstock for the chemical industry to produce new high-performance plastics. In this way, it will become possible to save limited fossil-based resources to not only reduce waste but also to become more sustainable and make a step forward to climate neutrality.

The CIRCULAR FOAM consortium is composed of all actors required to complete the circular value chain (process industries, manufacturing, waste management, technology providers, logistics as well as research partners). This consortium also includes CURE's researchers who develop together with their partners in work package 1 (WP1) the analytical foundations and knowledge for developing a systemic approach for the three pilot regions (North Rhine-Westphalia/DE, Silesia/PL and Greater Amsterdam region/NL).

The goal for WP1 is to develop a blueprint model for setting up circular symbiosis structures in three regions, taking into account barriers and drivers for collaboration between stakeholders. The results will include recommendations for further replication in Europe.

Visit the official Circular Foam website for more information about the project.