Project long title

ReWaste F

Funding

Within the framework of the 8th call for COMET-K projects, the Ministry of Climate Protection and Economics, the federal states and participating partners are funding seven new excellence projects in Austria (total volume over EUR 37.5 million.) and ReWaste F from the AVAW is one of them.

Project description

In 2017 in the FFG-funded COMET - K project "ReWaste4.0", two scientific and eight company partners initiated the ambitious and necessary paradigm shift for the further development of the Austrian waste management for non-hazardous, mixed municipal and commercial waste towards circular economy 4.0.

ReWaste F - Recycling and Recovery of Waste for Future - is the logical, high quality R&D continuation for 2021 to 2025 - based on comprehensive know-how and results from ReWaste4.0 considering current and future developments of waste streams (non-hazardous mixed waste and therein contained (bio)plastics and special waste streams), technologies (machines, sensors, sensor fusion, cameras, etc.) and digitalization (data analysis, smart digital "MMM" networking). ReWaste F will build and implement a particle-, sensor- and data-based circular economy (EU package came into effect in 2018) with an expanded consortium and deeper expertise in data, sensors and digital networking.

ReWaste F consists of an overarching strategic project and three technical areas with six subordinate individual projects. The strategic project addresses, among other things, goal-oriented alignment of progress in all three areas, waste market analyses, technology analyses and digital platform analyses, and international networking and workshops on plastics recycling and recyclability, data and cybersecurity, etc. The six individual projects will characterize waste materials and determine their properties and recyclability. Sorting, processing and recycling of special waste streams (e.g. plastics, wood) from mixed waste is tested on a large scale in pilot plants and facilities operated by partners. The establishment of standardized research and material-machine performance methods will be tested for applicability with practical trials. The development of a "smart waste factory" equipped with interconnected waste data, machines and sensors (combined by "sensor fusion") from different technology and software providers requires a unified horizontally and vertically integrated "digital platform". This will be developed in ReWaste F and will provide the industry with vendor-independent total plant monitoring, control and optimization based on online & on-time communication between waste quality and machine performance, so that treatment efficiency, recycling and recovery rates from mixed material streams are increased and greenhouse gas emissions from the entire waste system are reduced.

Project consortium

The ReWaste F consortium consists of four scientific and 14 company partners. The partners come from seven different sectors along the value chain: i) waste management; ii) planning, technology and plant engineering; iii) standardization and networking; iv) secondary raw material recovery; v) recycling system; vi) smart digitalization and networking; and vii) science. In ReWaste F, they will drive the whole industry towards circular economy and technology in line with the new 2019 European Green Deal for sustainable and resource-efficient EU development.

Involved scientific partners in the project are: MONTANUNIVERSITAET LEOBEN, FH JOANNEUM GmbH, KNOW-CENTER GmbH und RECENDT GmbH

The consortium leader is the Chair AVAW from Montanuniversitaet Leoben. Project leader is Dr. Renato Sarc.

Participating company partners are: ANDRITZ AG, REDWAVE, EVK DI KERSCHHAGGL GmbH, GREEN TECH CLUSTER STYRIA GmbH, IFE AUFBEREITUNGSTECHNIK GmbH, INGENIEURGEMEINSCHAFT INNOVATIVE UMWELTTECHNIK GmbH, KOMPTECH GmbH, LAFARGE ZEMENTWERKE GmbH, MAYER RECYCLING GmbH, MÜLLEX-UMWELT-SÄUBERUNG GmbH, RECYCLEME GmbH, SAUBERMACHER DIENSTLEISTUNGS AG, SIEMENS AG Austria, TÜV SÜD LANDESGESELLSCHAFT ÖSTERREICH GmbH.

Key data oft he project

• Duration: 48 months (04/2021 - 03/2025)
• Total approved cost: € 4,854,545

Funding source

The Competence Center Recycling and Recovery of Waste for Future - ReWaste F - (contract number 882512) is funded under the scope of COMET – Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies – by BMK, BMDW and Land Steiermark. The COMET program is managed by the FFG.

Success story 1^st research year

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Success story 2^nd research year

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Success story 3^rd research year

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With the following form you can directly contact the working group leader Mister Dr. Renato Sarc.