ItalianoLE2C is one of 21 partners in the European project SYSCHEMIQ - Demonstrator of SYstemic Solutions for the territorial deployment of the circular economy in the Trilateral CHEMIcal Region with a focus on plastic waste streams Quality for Recycling.
The project, funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Program - CIRCBIO-01-01 Cluster 6-2021-CIRCBIO-01: CIRCULAR CITIES & REGIONS INITIATIVE (CCRI)'s CIRCULAR SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS(IA) - has a budget of €9.6 million, runs for 48 months (May 2022 - May 2026) and aims to accelerate the transition to a circular plastics economy.
Contest
The initiative seeks to increase plastic recycling and reuse rates. Currently, only 42% of household plastic packaging in the EU is recycled, while the remainder ends up in landfills or incineration.
The EU has set ambitious targets: recycling at least 50% of consumer plastics within three years, and reaching 55% by 2030. Plastic recycling is key not only to reducing waste but also to significantly lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Objective
SYSCHEMIQ promotes a systemic approach that involves all stages of the value chain and engages diverse stakeholders, with the ultimate goal of creating urban-industrial plastic districts.
Main focus areas include:
- collection, sorting, and recycling of used plastics;
- design of new plastic materials that enhance recyclability;
- involvement of citizens, local and regional authorities, and research and training institutions.
Tools developed by project partners
PRISM (Plastic Recycling and Impact Scenario Model)
A decision-support model designed to identify optimal strategies for managing plastic waste streams, evaluating technical, economic, and environmental variables.
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Assesses 10 recycling technologies and 25 polymers, with predictive capabilities up to 2060.
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Integrates market variables, product design, chemical properties, and collection methods.
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Provides guidance to governments, businesses, and organizations to improve recycling efficiency.
CIMS (Chemelot Integrated Model System)
A modeling tool that supports decision-making in chemical industry clusters to improve economic, energy, and environmental performance.
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Evaluates technologies and resources to reduce carbon emissions.
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Helps companies and local authorities design strategies to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Geo Tool
A geolocation system to track plastic flows, useful for planning, managing, and monitoring plastic waste policies.
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Analyzes and forecasts flows in relation to socio-economic factors.
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Initially developed in the Netherlands, it can be extended to other regions, including Lombardy.
Interested in exploring one of these tools or applying them in your context? Contact us at c.doria@energycluster.it.
LE2C's tasks
LE2C is involved in the Work Package 8 "Dissemination, Communication, Replication and Exploitation".
Specifically, it will support the following tasks:
- Promote replicability of the SYSCHEMIQ stistemic model in the Lombardy Region (Italy) by organizing workshops and webinars to disseminate and share the digital tools and activities that will be developed whitin the project;
- Create regional platforms that gather relevant stakeholders;
- Collaborate in the production of communication materials.
LE2C will be supported in dissemination activities by Assolombarda.
Partners
The other project partners are:
In the Netherlands: Brightlands Chemelot Campus (Cordinatore di progetto); SABIC; TNO; City Lab Sittard-Geleen; Maastricht University; Zuyd University of Applied Sciences; Chemelot Innovation and Learning Labs (CHILL); Sustainable Packing Knowledge Institute Foundation (KIDV); Morssinkhof - Rymoplast; Limburg Circular Waste Cooperative (ASL).
In Belgium: Plastic Recyclers Europe; European Chemical Regions Network (ECRN); University of Ghent; POM Limburg; PlasticQ; Provincia di Limburg.
In Germany: Source One GmbH; Fraunhofer Institute; Siegwerk Druckfarben.
In Italy: Lombardy Energy Cleantech Cluster - LE2C.
In Switzerland: University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland.
For more information on the project, visit the dedicated website: https://www.syschemiq.eu/
