QualiCycle – Initiative for high-quality plastic recycling in Switzerland
Around 790,000 tons of plastic waste are produced in Switzerland every year - but only a fraction of this is recycled. Although plastics offer many advantages for our everyday lives, their current use and disposal cause major environmental pollution and an enormous consumption of resources. The pressure to develop circular solutions is growing, particularly in the area of food packaging. The EU demands [...]
Circular economy measures for Aarau
With its current Smart City strategy, the city of Aarau is pursuing the goal of taking on a pioneering role in the resource-efficient economy and the creation of closed loops. As part of this strategy, the procurement, use, reuse and disposal of products is being rethought in order to sensitize society and the economy to the topic of the circular economy. Various strategies are already being [...]
Sustainable Recycling Pathways for Fiber-Based Lightweight Packaging
Technical innovations and political efforts are leading to increased use of lightweight packaging made from paper and cardboard (P+C) based materials and other cellulose fiber products. Fiber-based lightweight packaging is used in combination with plastics, for example, and often contains residual contamination compared to newspapers and cardboard boxes. Existing P+C recyclers in Switzerland are not specialized in this type of lightweight packaging, […]
Overview of collection systems for plastics in the construction industry
Plastics in the construction industry have received little attention in terms of circular economy to date. This is despite the fact that a large proportion of plastics are used in the construction industry today (kunststoff.swiss 2023) and that they also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the construction industry (Heeren & Hellweg 2019). Most GHG emissions come from the production and incineration of plastic products [...].
Plastic Recycling in the Construction Industry: Acting Together
Background Plastics play an important role in the construction industry due to their wide range of applications (see figure below). Around a quarter of Switzerland's annual plastic consumption is used in construction. However, little attention is currently paid to the plastics used in construction when it comes to sustainability in the construction industry, even though recycling plastics contributes to reducing the environmental impact […]
ScreenFood research project – for safe food and packaging
For three years, we will be supporting the European research project "Metrology for Food Safety in the Circular Economy: Targeting and Screening Methods for Contaminants in Food and Recycled Packaging," or "ScreenFood" for short, as an associated partner. The project aims to make food and food contact materials safe in the long term. To this end, measurement methods for detecting contaminants in food and [...]
Workshop on the Made in Zurich Initiative for Circular Packaging
As part of the event «KLW konkret – Verpackungen optimieren», we shared our expertise in circular economy and packaging optimization with members of the «Made in Zürich Initiative». While the participants developed creative solutions, we supported them with technical expertise. Keynote speech on the concrete implementation of the circular economy for packaging With a keynote speech, Melanie Haupt introduced the attendees to the […]
Use of recycled PS behind a functional barrier
The use of secondary materials in food packaging is a central element in the implementation of a circular economy for packaging. The utilization rates of secondary materials required in other European countries make the use of recycled plastics necessary in the food sector as well. However, this is associated with uncertainties regarding the quality of the secondary polymers and the migration behavior of contaminants. With the new regulation […]
cycleworks – Plastics in Construction
Background: Plastics in Construction. Plastics have become indispensable in the construction industry. Their technical properties enable a wide range of applications, through which they can make an important contribution to reducing the environmental impact. Approximately 23% of the annual Swiss consumption of plastics, amounting to 1 million tonnes, is used in the construction industry. But what happens to these […] after use?
Establishing closed-loop systems for food contact rPP (FCMrPP)
As part of an Innosuisse project, we collaborated with research and industry partners to investigate the feasibility of a closed-loop system for polypropylene (PP) food packaging in Switzerland. We simulated the first complete Swiss cycle for secondary PP in food applications, from the collection of post-consumer plastic waste to the production of test specimens. The focus was particularly on practical implementation, the […]