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INCREACE is a European research project funded by the Horizon Europe program that aims at increasing the uptake of recycled plastics in various products through innovative and interdisciplinary solutions.
This goes along the plastics recycling value chain embedded in a systemic framework with a focus on Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE). By using recycled plastics from Electrical and Electronic Waste (WEEE), the INCREACE project will tackle areas where the use of recycled plastics is marginal today. INCREACE is a project funded by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA) of the European Commission under the Horizon Cluster 4 programme.
18 leading European research institutions and industrial partners participate in the project.
Cabka Spain, part of Cabka Group, is the only partner from Spain in the consortium and is leading one of the business cases of INCREACE project.
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The aforementioned business case is focused on adding the maximum content of recycled materials into pallets showing electrostatic discharge (ESD) characteristics, while keeping the ESD and required mechanical properties of the standard pallets in Virgin material.
The Study
The study that will be carried out within the project will unlock a new market segment for recycled polyolefins (HDPE/PP) with ESD. Plastics are essentially insulators, hold charge and have a high electrical resistance, leading to undesired Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). Typical products requiring ESD resistance are housings of EEE or furniture, to avoid the consumer being 'shocked' when touching the objects and pallets for transport of EEE. In virgin plastics, ESD-resistance is obtained by adding conductive fillers to the material in order to be dissipative. However, in some high-level technical applications, it is not yet possible to include PCR plastics, since they do not meet the strict technical requirements. Based on these insights, INCREACE will develop a framework for minimum requirements and go back into the sourcing and recycling process to eliminate these obstacles. With the successful implementation of the project, Cabka is consolidating its position as a leading European company in the development of sustainable solutions and plastic products.
Increasing the share of recycled plastic in new products is one of the goals of the European Plastics Strategy. With its implementation, at least 10 million tons of recycled plastic will be used to make new products on the European market by 2025. Compared to four million tons in 2016, this is an ambitious goal that can be achieved by sustainability-oriented companies. Increasing the share of recycling will also affect the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of deposited waste. That is why 19 leading European research institutions and industrial partners, to contribute to increase the uptake of recycled plastics in high added value products by introducing innovative solutions throughout the recycling value chain.
The successful development of recyclates will represent a major breakthrough in the field of the use of recycled materials in ESD applications, thereby significantly contributing to wider social goals - reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the production of new products and preventing environmental pollution with plastic waste.
More information about the project can be found on its website: https://increace-project.eu/
Funded by the European Union
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grand agreement No 101058487
