Within CIRCULAR FLOORING, the dissolution-based recycling process was tailored to the specific requirements of plasticized PVC (PVC-P) from flooring and the process could be upscaled to TRL 6 at Fraunhofer IVV in Freising with throughput rates of 15-20 kg/h flooring waste.Stable depletion rates of phthalate plasticizers of <99% were reached. Thus, according to ANNEX XIV list of the EU regulation 1907/2006 (REACH), the threshold limit of 0,1 w% for DEHP, DBP, BBP, and DIBP in novel applications was successfully met in each plasticizer species. For the first time, significant quantities of pure recycled PVC-P, free of foreign polymers and hazardous compounds, were produced and could be successfully restabilized and plasticized for second-life applications.
Catalytic hydrogenation is a well-established method for producing diisononyl cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), a non-phthalate plasticizer that has become a substitute for phthalate-based plasticizers in Europe. The CIRCULAR FLOORING project developed a method to upcycle harmful phthalate plasticizers from PVC waste into valuable, non-phthalate plasticizers like DINCH. A combined transesterification-hydrogenation process, combined with a pre-treatment step, enabled the complete conversion of these waste-derived phthalates into safe, reusable cyclohexanedicarboxylates.
The CIRCULAR FLOORING project has shown that the integration of recycled PVC (rPVC) into floor coverings is not only possible, but also promising. By developing new, sustainable floor coverings with a high proportion of recycled material, important steps have been taken towards a circular economy for PVC. In particular, the use of rPVC in the bottom layer of heterogeneous PVC floor coverings, such as Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), has proven to be particularly suitable. The first production tests have shown that rPVC can be successfully integrated into the production process. Although there were some challenges in processing rPVC, such as achieving a homogeneous mixture and adjusting the processing parameters, these were successfully overcome through targeted measures..
A cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of the CIRCULAR FLOORING system. The results indicate that the production of 1 m² of CIRCULAR FLOORING PVC generates approximately 13 kg CO2-eq/m² regarding Global Warming Potential (GWP). At the industrial scale, the dissolution-based recycling process contributes significantly to the overall environmental impact, accounting for approximately 20% of the total GWP. The remaining 65% of the effect is attributed to the flooring production process. Key contributors to the environmental impact of the dissolution-based recycling process include solvent and anti-solvent usage at the lab and pilot scales (70% and 46% of GWP, respectively) and energy consumption at the industrial scale (65% of GWP).
A comprehensive economic analysis indicates the project is economically feasible, with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) exceeding 10%. This feasibility is contingent upon achieving a selling price for recycled PVC (rPVC) above €1.34/kg and plasticizers above €2.50/kg. Notably, the projected price for rPVC aligns with the market price of virgin PVC, making the CIRCULAR FLOORING business case viable. The economic feasibility of the dissolution-based recycling process was assessed for three different capacity scenarios: 10,000 t/y, 15,000 t/y, and 30,000 t/y. While the lowest capacity scenario was deemed unprofitable, doubling the capacity to 30,000 t/y resulted in a highly feasible scenario, with a Net Present Value (NPV) exceeding €100 million and an IRR of over 32%. This scenario assumes a selling price of €1.34/kg for rPVC.
