The PlastLIFE project promotes the realisation of the goals of Finland's Plastics Roadmap. However, the full implementation of the Plastics Roadmap also requires the extensive participation of actors outside the PlastLIFE consortium, as well as activities and measures to complement PlastLIFE, some of which are listed below.
PlastLIFE monitors and reports on the implementation of complementary projects and their impacts on improving the circular economy of plastics. Additional measures will be developed together with stakeholders if they are needed to achieve the goals of the Plastics Roadmap.
SPIRIT
The pioneering “Sustainable Plastics Industry Transformation” (SPIRIT) programme is a wide-ranging research, development and innovation cooperation initiative initiated by Borealis Polymers Oy with existing and new partners. The aim of the SPIRIT programme is to change the entire plastics value chain towards a more sustainable future.
The cooperation aims to meet three key challenges: replacing fossil-based feedstocks with renewable feedstocks, developing plastics recycling while taking into account both mechanical and chemical recycling, and making production carbon-neutral by electrification and using hydrogen and renewable electricity.
Funded by: Business Finland
Duration: 2022–2026
PRIMUS
PRIMUS is a project coordinated by VTT, focusing on the mechanical recycling of plastics, circular economy analytics and technology development. The aim of the project is to improve the recycling possibilities of industrial plastics and to find applications suitable for recycled plastics.
The project focuses on the processing of plastic waste from the automotive, electrical and electronic industries and its use in automotive applications and household appliances. The ten members of the consortium come from Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain, Germany and Belgium.
Funded by: The EU Commission
Duration: 2022–2025
Plastics2Olefins
The Plastics2Olefins project is about planning, constructing and opening a pyrolysis plant that operates 100 per cent on renewable electricity for recycling unsorted plastic waste at Repsol's industrial site in Puertollano, Spain. It is estimated that the project will reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 70–80% compared to existing plastic recycling processes or the incineration of plastic waste.
Funded by: The EU Commission
Duration: 2022–2027
PARC
“Partnership for the Assessment of Risk from Chemicals” (PARC) is a large European research and innovation partnership focusing on the risk assessment of chemicals. PARC will establish an EU-wide center of excellence for the research and risk assessment of the adverse effects of chemicals to support risk assessment and management authorities in addressing current, emerging and new challenges related to the safety of chemicals.
PARC promotes the transition to next-generation risk assessment and sustainable and safe product design through new knowledge, methods, expertise and networks.
The objective of the programme is to protect human health and the environment in accordance with the Green Deal's zero-emission objective, while enabling the implementation of the EU chemicals strategy for sustainable development. About 200 different European organisations are involved in the project.
Funded by: PARC and national or international sources of funding
Duration: 2022–2028
PAPILLONS
“Plastic in Agricultural Production: Impacts, Lifecycles and LONg-term Sustainability”, also called the PAPILLONS project, studies the sources and migration of microplastics and nanoplastics from agricultural and horticultural plastics in soil, as well as the long-term ecological and social impacts of the use of plastics. The aim is to provide easily accessible information on microplastics, nanoplastics and agricultural land contaminated by plastics.
Funded by: The EU Commission
Duration: 2021–2025
4Recycling
4Recycling is an innovation ecosystem led by CLIC Innovation, which aims to find system-level solutions to the plastics challenge. The ecosystem prepares research and development projects to improve the recycling of plastics and the development of new bio-based materials, build RDI consortia, apply for funding and carry out RDI cooperation.
Funded by: Business Finland
Duration: 2019–