Highlightsfrom the presentation and booth at the National Polymer Recycling Conference
Thomas Simonelli from Michelin and AxelleChampion from IFTH delivered an outstanding presentation on the WhiteCycleproject to an audience of 250 attendees duringthe textile recycling session on Tuesday, November 5.
The presentation showcased the WhiteCycle project as an ambitiousinitiative, with significant progress made across key stages during the first18 months: macro-sorting identification and fiber/matrix separation in WP1,amorphization in WP2, enzymatic depolymerization and purification in WP3, andpolymerization in WP4.
Considerable strides were made during this period. First, our focuswas on macro-sorting identification to detect the presence of PolyethyleneTerephthalate (PET) in streams of clothing (WP1). Through extensive research,we evaluated various PET detection technologies and identified a particularlypromising solution. A key milestone was the development of a real-timemonitoring system, which successfully detects garments containing PET—evenwithin multilayered fabrics.
IFTH presented promising initial trials that have laid thegroundwork for advancing to the next phase of the project, where we aim toscale the technology from TRL 5 to TRL 6-8. Additionally, TRL 5 was achievedfor the shaping process, an essential step in removing challenging elements,such as metallic pieces.
At the same time, efforts were directedtowards fiber and matrix separation in tires and hoses by upscaling theelectrostatic process (WP1). This process is vital for separating fibers fromrubber components, enabling us to tailor subsequent steps to the uniqueproperties of each material. Initially conducted in batch mode at a laboratoryscale, this process was successfully transitioned to continuous mode, leadingto the establishment of a true pilot step. While substantial progress has beenmade, further testing and refinement are ongoing to optimize performance.
WhiteCycle hosted a booth in the showroom area, providing anexcellent opportunity to showcase the project, connect with participants,answer questions, and distribute project flyers. This engagement helped attractnew subscribers and visitors to the project’s website.
