Expected Impact
The PlasCarb project will further reinforce Europe's leading position in environmental technologies and innovation in high value Carbon.
Breakthrough innovation in novel technologies, products or services with high potential to achieve a more green economy: Breakthrough innovations in PlasCarb will enable the transformation of a significant environmental disposal problem (food waste) into high value graphitic Carbon and RH2 that can be used to develop a sustainable green economy.
More sustainable consumption and production patterns: PlasCarb will respond to the Sustainable and Consumption Action Plan by creating a technology that enables post project a virtuous circle, improving environmental performance by valorising food waste into high value outputs.
Improved resource efficiency and reduced environmental impacts: PlasCarb will take the outputs of food waste digestion and move them up the waste hierarchy, producing materials of greater economic and environmental value. RH2 can be used for power generation without CO2 emissions and high value graphite improves resource efficiency and reduces environmental impact.
Reduced waste production and pressure on raw materials: PlasCarb will not reduce waste food production, but will reduce its impact, creating a source of indigenous high value resources (graphitic Carbon and RH2).
New business models, industrial symbiosis, and cradle to grave approaches: PlasCarb takes an inherent "cradle to grave approach". Fraunhofer brings life cycle thinking expertise to ensure that environmental burdens are not shifted to other parts of the life cycle. PlasCarb involves industrial symbiosis, transforming food waste into a sustainable source of industrial raw materials for new products. It brings an SME (GAP) which is contracted to manage a number of mixed food wastes (municipal and commercial) together with technology providers and material end users. To enable future market uptake of the project results, a flexible business model will be developed for waste management SMEs from across Europe to invest in the industrialisation of PlasCarb, transforming them from waste remediators into raw material producers.
Substantial contribution towards sustainable supply of raw materials of economic importance to Europe: PlasCarb will create an economically viable technology platform to transform a widespread, high volume waste material into a reliable supply of graphitic Carbon and RH2, displacing imported and environmentally unsustainable sources of supply.
Improved communication and transfer of knowledge to policy making, business and to the general public: The PlasCarb communication strategy will be to use a range of tools including networking, referral, wider dissemination and in raising public awareness.
