Kordsa continues PolynSPIRE cooperation

The third meeting of the PolynSPIRE project was hosted by Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB) and supported by the reinforcement leader Kordsa, one of the project partners. The General Project Meeting and Information Sharing Workshop of the PolynSPIRE project was held at the Izmit facilities of Kordsa in last May.

The Project within the scope of the European Union funded Horizon 2020 program addresses three innovation pillars covering the TRL7 level in 48 months. 22 project partners from 11 countries, including major players of the European chemical industry such as Arkema, Novamont, Repsol, participated in the meeting held in Istanbul on October 2-4. Kordsa worked together with the host İKMİB for the preparations of the meeting. On the last day of the 3-day event, the Izmit facility of Kordsa was visited.

In 2018 Kordsa joined the EU-funded PolynSPIRE project within the Horizon 2020 programme aiming to demonstrate a set of innovative, and sustainable solutions for efficient plastic recycling. The project aims at strengthening the research and technology development capacity of Europe, promoting and improving university-industry cooperation. Following the second meeting in May hosted by Kordsa, the Dissemination Work Package Leader Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (IKMIB), affiliated under Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TIM), hosted the third meeting of the project organized by CIRCE Foundation (Centre of Research for Energy Resources and Consumption).

In the 48-month period of the PolynSPIRE project, it is expected to recycle/reuse 60 kilotons of plastic waste, to reduce 300 kilotons equivalent carbon emissions, and to save 70 kilotons oil equivalent fossil resources. Targeted impacts in 20 years are treating annually 4.5 million tons of residue, 45 million tons of CO2 emissions reduction per year and 10 million tons of oil equivalent of fossil fuel recovery per year.

Brussels had hosted the kick-off meeting of the polynSPIRE project at KoWi, the European Liaison Office of German Research Companies on 25 September 2018. Kordsa had hosted the second networking event organised by IKMIB at its İzmit facilites for 2 days in last May.

The PolynSPIRE Project is a research project funded by Horizon2020 EU’s new research and innovation programme, with the aim to demonstrate a set of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions, aiming at improving the energy and resource efficiency of plastic recycling processes. Lead by CIRCE, the European Liaison Office of German Research Companies, the polynSPIRE Project has a budget of 10 million euros and brings together 22 partners organizations from 11 countries. The program addresses three innovation pillars covering the TRL7 level in 48 months. The first pillar is the chemical recycling assisted by microwaves and smart magnetic catalysts. The second innovation is advanced additivation and high energy irradiation to enhance recycled plastics quality. These two innovations can lead up to 33 per cent of fossil fuel direct reduction for the production of polyester, polyamide and polyurethane. As the third output of the Project, valorisation of plastic waste as carbon source in steel industry is expected which can lead to reductions of around 80 per cent of fossil carbon sources in electric arc furnaces.

The polynSPIRE consortium consists of 22 partner organizations lead by CIRCE, the European Liaison Office of German Research Companies, including research/academic institutions, governmental organisations, and industries and SMEs. These include: Repsol Quimica, Nurel, Aitiip and Bada from Spain, Arkema from France, Novamont, Feno, Idealservice and Csm Spa from Italy, Kordsa and IKMIB from Turkey, Ioniqa and TU/E, from Netherlands, Nic and CPPE D.O.O. from Slovenia, FM from Germany, Maier UK from the UK, HTT ENG from Czech Republic, DS from Denmark, EUPC from Belgium.