€2.9m project to tackle plastic pollution launched at TUS
A €2.9 million project aimed at tackling plastic packaging pollution has been launched by Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS).
The PerPETual project, which received €1.8m in funding through the Government’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, aims to reduce landfill and incineration of waste plastic by creating a technology that will allow polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics to be continually recycled.
The project is led by researchers at TUS, in partnership with UCC, AvonCourt Packaging Ltd and Novelplast Teoranta, and seeks to develop a permanent recycling technology for all grades of PET.
The two industry partners in the project have provided combined funding of over one million euro towards it.
PET plastic, which is made from fossil fuels, is a clear strong plastic found in every day packaging, such as drinking bottles and fresh food tubs and trays.
High quantities of this widely-used plastic ends up in landfill, incinerators, and as an environmental pollutant because a viable process for remaking PET plastics from waste PET, at scale, is not available.
Dr Margaret Brennan, TUS’s lead researcher of the PerPETual project, Fournet, said: "We are thrilled to progress our amazing technologies for the continuous depolymerisation and remaking of PET without the need for further fossil fuel extraction, which will be key to eliminating the impact on the environment and to ensuring prosperity for future generations.
"The PerPETual project will be highly disruptive for a number of the sectors including food, energy, climate action and sustainability, manufacturing, materials, business services and processes, and will significantly alter the way we work, live and innovate for a low carbon, resource neutral, sustainable plastics future."
Imelda Lambkin, Disruptive Technologies Department manager with Enterprise Ireland, said, "The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund is a vital tool for enabling Irish enterprise and research sectors to find solutions and positive contributions to the low carbon and sustainability targets in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.
She added that the PerPETual project had "the potential to transform the plastics industry, by drastically reducing the amount of fresh petroleum extracted virgin material used, and positioning PET recyclate as a valuable, perpetually reusable resource."