RETAIN
Context
RETAIN is a groundbreaking project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme. It focuses on transforming the lifecycle of complex plastic materials—particularly PVC tarpaulins—by pioneering innovative solutions in collection, reuse, repair, remanufacturing, recycling, and ecodesign.
PVC tarpaulins are durable, multi-layered materials used in a wide range of applications, from truck covers and advertising banners to biogas membranes and tents. Despite their utility, over 99% of used tarpaulins in Europe end up in landfills or are incinerated due to limited recycling options.
Why RETAIN Matters
Each year, around 200,000 tons of tarpaulins enter the EU market, with 65% produced within Europe. These materials can have a useful life from just a few months to over 30 years. However, their complex structure—typically PET reinforcement with a soft PVC coating—makes recycling extremely challenging.
RETAIN aims to change this. Our goal is that by 2036, 90% of all tarpaulins will be reused, remanufactured, or recycled instead of discarded.
What We’re Doing
RETAIN brings together 16 partners from 8 EU countries—Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, and the Czech Republic—to demonstrate circular business practices and advanced recycling technologies at industrial scale.
Under the coordination of SIOEN, we will:
- Advance recycling techniques such as mechanical, physical, and selective dissolution
- Demonstrate circular practices including collection, repair, sorting, and reuse at three demo sites across Europe
- Develop a digital product passport (DPP) to ensure traceability, enable quality control, and quantify environmental, social, and economic impact
- Implement the RETAIN gate control procedure for better decision-making around post-industrial and end-of-life materials
Centexbel’s Role
Centexbel leads efforts in:
- Recycling PVC tarps through a soak-and-separate process
- Spinning recycled PET (rPET) into high-tenacity yarns for new applications
