Circular Models for Mixed and Multi material Recycling in Manufacturing-extended Loops

Scientific studies on Swedish industrial waste management have shown that there remain large challenges in material efficiency and material recycling in the manufacturing industries. Recycling is obstructed by lack of material and process information, as well as, lack of collaboration in the recycling loop. Operation management tends to more and more include resource efficiency, e.g.. in Green Lean manufacturing. Environmentally conscious companies and researchers who try to choose the optimal recycling loops for each material need increased knowledge on how to judge the loops on environmental (LCA) and cost (LCC) grounds. Principles for vertical, as well as, horizontal collaborations are needed. In addition, trends for the future make the manufacturing system more complex with regards to the number of materials used and the content of the materials. The typed of materials increasing most are those that are least recycled today.
At small and medium-sized companies additional obstacles are lack of waste management expertise together with low material volumes gives a need to cooperate locally to overcome inefficiencies in the recycling logistics and information management
The CiMMREC project aims to develop LCC and LCA models for extended recycling loops, point out material and process information needed for an efficient system, and develop collaboration principles within the system. Existing and emerging recycling loops will be compared and novel material technology for recycling will be demonstrated. The project will be carried out in collaboration with five research partners and seven industry partners.