Category: NEWS & EVENTS

The LIFE-ECOTEX project was successfully completed in late November 2019, demonstrating the feasibility of a circular economy concept for the footwear sector based on the chemical recycling of PET textile waste generated in that industry. >> Results ...

One technical article has been published in RETEMA, a Spanish technical journal focused on Environmental issues, to communicate the circular solution based on the chemical recycling process for polyester wastes in the footwear sector that has been demonstrated in the LIFE-ECOTEX project. Asier Asueta, Sixto Arnaiz, Ainara Pocheville, “Demostrando la contribución del reciclado químico a la economía circular en el sector del calzado”. Revista RETEMA. Revista Técnica de Medio Ambiente, nº 214. Especial Reciclaje 2019. https://www.retema.es/revistas/especial-reciclaje-n3m4 ...

CTCR and GAIKER have organised a workshop on materials recycling with the students of Higher Degree in Design and Production of Footwear and Accessories of the High School Virgen de Vico in Arnedo (La Rioja, Spain). The objective was to present to the future shoe designers the LIFE-ECOTEX project to raise their awareness of the environmental milestones related to the management of waste generated in the footwear production and the possible circular economy solutions to promote a more sustainable industry model. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTvvyVafIFI ...

LIFE-ECOTEX, according to the guidelines of the EC, is working on the replicability strategies established in the Project. It is important to highlight the tests carried out with PET wastes from automotive and packaging sectors. ...

The National Congress of Environment, #CONAMA2018, was one of the events selected for the dissemination of the LIFE-ECOTEX project thanks to the participation of Eko-REC and GAIKER, through a written technical communication and a poster, which was displayed during the celebration of the event. Through this action, the agents involved demonstrated their support and commitment to the  ecological transition #Rumbo2030, for a more sustainable sector. Technical communication: Idoia Daqvad, Nekane González, Asier Asueta, “LIFE-ECOTEX: Demostración del reciclado de residuos de calzado de naturaleza poliéster en nuevos productos textiles utilizando la tecnología de glicólisis catalítica”. ISBN 978-84-09-07670-3. http://www.conama2018.org/web/generico.php?idpaginas=&lang=es&menu=257&id=36&op=view ...

This action contemplated the simulation of the design for the industrial plant through Aspen Plus software, considering two possible routes: esterification reaction and direct BHET polymerization. ...

On 06/11/2018 the fourth follow-up meeting of the LIFE-ECOTEX Project was held at the LOGROTEX facilities with the attendance of all the project partners: GAIKER (leader), CTCR, BETA, Eko-REC and LOGROTEX. During the meeting, the project progress was presented, mainly focused on the success of obtaining 300 kg of chemically recycled PET fibre, as one of the main objectives to be able to close the life cycle of polyester waste generated in the footwear sector. Likewise, the updated studies for the design of a chemical recycling industrial plant and the advances in the LCA on the chemical recycling process were presented. ...

After receiving the polymerized pellets thanks to the 'Materials+Technology' Group of the UPV-EHU, Eko-REC carried out the preparation of the material, mixing it with recycled multicoloured flakes from bottles. This allowed the production of around 800 kg of black polyester staple fibre. After that, Logrotex took over the manufacture of the felts, which will make up the insoles and thermal insulators. ...

The synthesis of Ecotex PET was carried out in a pilot plant reactor,as shown below, by mixing BHET monomer, ethylene glycol (EG) and water under vacuum, all at high temperatures. The reaction was stopped taking into account the viscosity of the melted product finally obtained. This mass was cooled with cold water, obtaining long threads, which were cut and sieved until obtaining the desired result, the chips or pellets. ...

On 31/05/2018, the third follow-up meeting of the LIFE-ECOTEX Project was held at the Eko-REC facilities with the attendance of all the project partners: GAIKER (leader), CTCR, BETA, Eko-REC and LOGROTEX. During the meeting, the progress of the project was presented, mainly focused on the success in obtaining 350 kg of BHET and the quality control analyses carried out on all the samples obtained after the process of glycolysis and purification of BHET. Moreover, the offer for the contracting of the monomer polymerization has been made public. ...