SEMINAR: Recycling Plastics, the reality of some who dare to innovate

Society’s call for a circular economy is challenging the petrochemical sector and its polymers. A circular economy is aiming at avoiding the net production of wastes (incl. CO2) and, thereby, needs to reduce its dependency of fossil resources. It thereby urges the chemical industry to recycle spend plastics to resolve the litter problem it has contributed to. The present seminar will offer opportunities to learn and discuss the hot topic of plastic recycling by building on three presentations.

Prof. Jean-Paul Lange (Shell & U. Twente, SPT) will present the state of the industry, discuss challenges and opportunities in plastic recycling (mechanical and chemicals recycling), and introduce the need to complement recycling with a switch to renewable carbon (CO2).

Eng. Carlos Mendieta Zerón is the sustainability director of PetStar (Mexico) and will talk about the PetStar Sustainable Business Model as a fully integrated system from the collection to the recycling of PET bottles and how Petstar’s food-grade PET recycled resin obtained the Cradle to Cradle certification.

Peter Bos (Frankenbos) as entrepreneur has about 30 years of experience in textile recycling and new developments. Currently he advises companies in the transition from a linear economy into circular models. He will give us a sneak inside few circular models based on his experience. His presentation’s title is: “where textile meets plastics recycling”.

This seminar is open for everyone who has interest in dealing with the challenge to create more circular production and consumption systems of plastics. From the discussions we aim to identify elements that will contribute to the research program of recycling plastics at UT. Therefore, research fellows (e.g. master’s program students) are particularly welcome to this seminar.

For registration and further information, please contact dr. Laura Franco-Garcia: m.l.francogarcia@utwente.nl.

 

 

 

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