Resource efficiency

Ghent
R&D manager Textile Functionalisation & Surface Modification

As we all want to maintain our current standards of living, our society faces the limits of what our ecosystem (including climate issues) can manage in terms of petrochemical production of essential small molecular building blocks necessary for fine chemicals, medicines or high-performance materials.

Urbanrec is a H2020 funded research project aiming to improve the logistics and treatment of waste, such as furniture, mattresses, upholstery, textiles and plastic garden products by means of innovative and patented separating techniques that will generate a net profit of 225 euro per ton.

How do the chemical and plastics sectors view circularity and what concrete steps are they taking to make the world of chemistry and plastics more sustainable? VLAIO business advisor Rik Candries had an instructive chat with Ann Verlinden, Karen Van Wesenbeeck and Wannes Libbrecht of Catalisti and Isabel De Schrijver of Centexbel. Two organisations that have a broad view on the sector, based on their connecting role between the business and knowledge worlds.

Due to high population density, strong industrialisation and climate change, Belgium is increasingly struggling with water stress. Water is an indispensable raw material for companies in the process industry. Despite a favourable trend in water consumption and the water efficiency of businesses, their water stress remains worryingly high.

Novel packaging films and textiles with tailored end of life and performance based on bio-based copolymers and coatings

Researching alternative, non-toxic elements for the synthesis of polyurethane. Fully renewable resources, such as residues from sugar refineries and the production of biofuel, natural oils and fats, are used to develop biobased polyurethane.

REMADYL will develop a breakthrough single step continuous process based on extractive extrusion technology in combination with novel solvents and melt filtration, which has the potential of rejuvenating ‘old PVC’ into market competitive high purity PVC.

The main goal of the BB100 project is the development of a process chain towards fully bio-based man-made fibre materials. This does not only include the mere processing of biopolymers, but also commonly used additive materials like plasticizers, flame retardants, colorants and nucleation agents. Fully bio-based yarns and textile demonstrators will be developed.

The Ecy-Twin project is an awareness-raising campaign that accompanies textile and woodworking companies in the field of eco-design and sustainable development, in the aim to market products or services with limited environmental impact that comply with the consumers' expectations.