New products from waste PVC flooring and safe end-of-life treatment of plasticisers (CIRCULAR FLOORING)

CIRCULAR FLOORING aims to enable circular use of plasticized PVC (PVC-P) from waste flooring by developing recycling processes that eliminate plasticizers including hazardous phthalic acid esters (e.g. DEHP). We will demonstrate the project results via production of highquality recycled PVC at TRL 5-6, reprocessing of eliminated plasticizers to new phthalate-free plasticizers and re-use of recycled polymers and additives in new flooring applications. Waste flooring will be subjected to the CreaSolv® Process, which dissolves PVC-P from the material mix and eliminates undissolved matter as well as co-dissolved plasticizers in an extractive purification step (>99%). Pure PVC is recovered from the solution and solvents will be reused completely in the process. Using a controlled catalytic reaction, extracted phthalate ester plasticizers will be converted completely (> 99%) to harmless compounds with plasticizing properties. Together with tailor-made additives, both recovered products are integrated in novel PVC flooring designed for circularity. Chemical and mechanical product analysis, process simulation, LCA, SEA, and business modelling will support process development, upscale and product design. The approach addresses exactly the scope of the call because (i) innovative solutions are developed for removing undesirable substances from secondary raw materials, (ii) removed plasticizers and additives pose health or environmental risks and would adversely affect the quality of the recycled materials and (iii) the hazardous compounds are handled safely and destroyed completely. Addressing the 500.000 t PVC flooring market with recommendations on design for recycling and novel circular materials produced at TRL 5-6, the expected impact on the flooring value chain will be substantial. An interdisciplinary team of 4 RTO, 6 industrial partners (3 SME) and 1 non-profit company will finally implement the new circular economy approach into the PVC flooring industry.