CREAToR focusses on process development and demonstration (to TRL 5) to remove hazardous, already banned bromine-containing flame-retardants from waste streams using continuous purification technologies (supercritical CO2 and cost-effective solvent-based processes using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES)) in twin-screw extruders. CREAToR will cover the whole value chain, starting from collecting thermoplastic waste streams from building and construction (B&C) and from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Respective recyclers and sorters of both industries are part of the CREAToR consortium. The project will implement ways to collect secondary raw materials, identify the presence of hazardous flame retardants, remove these contaminants from the materials and finally reuse the materials. As case studies they will be reused as valuable secondary raw materials for new B&C insulation panels, closing the circle of economy, for automotive interior application, and for producing 3 D printed parts for aerospace applications. The respective end user partners are also part of the CREAToR consortium. For further increasing the economic feasibility of the approach an optimised logistic concept and a harmonized material quality classification scheme will be developed and applied. CREAToR will create a circular economy solution, transforming waste streams that are currently incinerated at costs of >180 €/t (especially from the B&C and WEEE sector) into value-bringing secondary raw materials. The economic viability of CREAToR will be validated through material benchmarking and LCA/LCC assessment for the whole value chain resulting in next generation products. The strong industrial/recycler presence in the consortium (12 industrial partners, among them three recyclers, six SMEs, and six large enterprises) will ensure the market relevance of the developments and the rapid commercialisation of the results within 1-2 years after the end of the project.

The transformation of the European Process Industry needs to embrace circular economy and restorative feedback loops, as a key pillar of the design of entire value chains. Construction, as a waste-intensive sector, is expected to greatly benefit from the potential impacts of circular economy models, to optimize the use of resources, reduce exploitation of raw materials and costs associated with its supply. In the construction and manufacturing process industries, a key challenge to allow the actual uptake of circular economy models and of upcycled /repurposed and/or recycled materials, lies on the need to guarantee that reclaimed materials can offer the same level of quality, performance, and safety of new secondary products. The aim of CIRCULess, is to contribute to foster circularity in the construction and manufacturing process industries, by minimizing Construction and Demolition waste (C&DW) as well as Manufacturing waste (CDM), with focus on mineral (i.e. concrete) and timber-based material streams, which is aligned with the objectives of the Processes4Planet Partnership, by developing new processes for circularity of secondary materials from wastes/residues for all industrial processes, without compromising quality and performance as well as sustainable-by-design circular products. CIRCULess main objective will be addressed by experimenting new circular products and novel processing techniques to improve the quality and performances of secondary materials up to industry expected standards, improve value chain environmental friendliness, maximize recycled components. These actions will benefit from the support and will provide inputs to a tailored digital platform to orient decision making and operational activities. Finally, to foster uptake by the construction sector, recommendations for standards updates and relevant training material for both upskilling current construction workforce and create new specialized profiles in the sector will be created.