During the last years, public concern about plastic use has resoundingly increasing, and as a result, plastic has become the enemy. Although the problem has risen due to single use applications, the concerns have been extended to other types of plastics. However, it is important to mention that plastics materials are used in a wide range of applications because of their properties, versatility, lightweight and price. Some of these applications, such as their usage in the automotive sector, have led to important progress in terms of fuel savings, safety and lower carbon emissions.
However, the main question should be: Do we want a world without plastics or a world without any plastic waste? From my point of view, society must find an equilibrium between plastic use and waste reduction through plastic recycling. polynSPIRE project was born in order to solve this problem.
polynSPIRE should solve both technical and non-technical barriers leading a path to highly efficient and sustainable plastic sector based on recycling, and not focused solely on conventional plastics but also on high requirement plastics used in restrictive applications, as the automotive sector. To achieve its objectives and to ensure the proper exploitation and replication of use throughout Europe, polynSPIRE implies the development of a comprehensive business plan, gathering different business models and establishing a cross-linked relation among plastic, chemical and steel manufacturing industries. The consortium, coordinated by Fundación CIRCE (Spain), ensures polynSPIRE success through the involvement of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs), universities, large companies, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and multiplier associations.
Fundación CIRCE is definitely leading the change towards a more sustainable industry, by participating in many innovative projects within publicly funded programmes. In addition, CIRCE is ensuring a proper technology transfer to the private sector by collaborating with companies worldwide. Since1993, Fundación CIRCE is providing innovative solutions for a sustainable development following an innovative model “Knowing how, teaching how”. Inside the model, polynSPIRE project is one of main tools to build a better future.
However, the solution to the plastic future cannot be found by a single action but a collective movement is needed.
It’s in our hands to make a difference, would you like to join us?
