ONLINE WEBINAR "ADVANCING POLYESTER TEXTILE CIRCULARITY"

European association, PETCORE EUROPE, representing polyester value chain, is hosting an online webinar dedicated to the latest developments in TEXTILE PES/PET recycling. This event will provide insights into advancements in mechanical, depolymerization and sorting technologies, while also exploring the challenges of scaling the necessary collection & sorting quantities through the recycling process. We will also take an opportunity to evaluate the feasibility of aligning these initiatives with EU regulatory goals.

Agenda - 1:30 PM CET - 11 DECEMBER 2024

13:30-14:10 Introduction: Circularity in Textiles and Sustainability Challenges (Christian Crépet from PETCORE EUROPE + Bruno Langlois Carbios)

Overview of Current Circularity Challenges in the PET Textile Industry and the Role of Circularity in Driving Sustainable Development:

• The complexity of materials used, such as polyester PET, polycotton, PET/Elastane, and PO/PA…(Bruno Langlois from Carbios).
• Key statistics an figures. (1st Textile imports & production ( Total and PET separately)
• EU Collection & sorting for PET. ( Loic Mace from Axens & Thierry GAUTHIER from IFPEN)

13:50-14:10 EU Institutions’ Role in Tackling Textile Circularity Challenges:

EU Commissions presentation on Polyester Textile Recycling ( JRC /EU Commission member) TBC

14:10-15:10 Technologies and Innovation Deployment moderated by Raphael Jaumotte from PETCORE EUROPE:

a. PET Recycling Technologies: Summary of technological processes supporting polyester textile circularity, including glycolysis, hydrolysis, enzymatic, solvolysis and methanolysis.

14:10-14:20 Recognition and automatic sorting. (Joint input from Tomra & Pellenc) TBC

14:20-14:30 Depolymerization recycling. (Maurizio Crippa from Gr3n Recycling)

14:30-14:40 Mechanical recycling: inputs from Starlinger, Erema and Coperion. (Wolfgang Herman from Erema).

14:40-15:00 TBC

15:00-15:10 Q&A

b. 14:40-14:50 Geographical Presence and Development by Philip Boydell

• Mapping and Panorama: Present and Future Outlook.(questionnaire)
• Pilot units and Technology Readiness Levels (TRL). (questionnaire)
• Ongoing and finalized industrial projects (Capacities). (questionnaire)

c. 14:50-15:00 Indicative Value Chain Costs by Bruno Langlois from Carbios

Beakdown of costs across the value chain:

• Collection and sorting.
• Preparation for recycling.
• Mechanical conversion.
• (overall results + elaborate a typical EU member state PET budget scenario) Mc Kinsey figures

15:00-15:10 Q&A Session

15:10-15:25 Coffee break

15:25-16:00 Essential Tools for Recycling and Mandatory Design Standards for Circularity by Josse Kuntz Cure TECHNOLOGIES

• Guidelines for Circularity in Polyester-Based Textiles:
• Collection & Sorting guidelines
• Guidelines for preparation to depolymerization & mechanical recycling. ( to be prepared by Bruno Langlois from Carbios)
• Design for Recycling (DfR) for clothing
• Update on T-Rex

15:50-16:00 Q&A Session

16:00- 16:30 Current State and Global Collaboration for EU Alignment on SIMULTANEOUS SCALABLE SOLUTIONS by Christian Crépet from PETCORE EUROPE

• Alignment Across the EU to organise the circularity value chain:
• Producers’ Responsibility
• Updates on existing and future EPR’s per country (questionnaire)
• Update on collection & sorting (where & capacities per EU country) (questionnaire)
• Update on preparation: where, which how per EU Country (questionnaire)

• Collection Targets:
• Reverse logistics strategies, asset recovery including take-back programs.
• Efficient systems for collecting used polyester from consumers.
• Educating consumers on the benefits of recycled polyester.
• Incentivizing Sustainable Choices:
• Incentives like Deposit Return Systems (DRS) or discounts on future purchases.
• Recycled Content:
• Requirements for recycled material standards and incorporation rates.
• End-of-Waste (EoW) Regulations:
• Cessation of waste status for materials.
• Waste Shipment Rules:
• Guidelines for EU and international textile waste export and import.
• Clear Labeling Standards:
• How to implement transparent labelling for recycled textiles.
• Industry Standards:
• Developing and enforcing industry standards.
• Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanisms

16:20-16:30 Q&A on how can the textile industry be ready to harmonized simultaneously scaling for an EU sustainable success?

16:30-17:45 The key challenge lies in driving global expansion of textile circularity while simultaneously aligning all recycling steps across the EU moderated by Bruno Langlois from Carbios

• Stakeholder Perspectives on an harmonize & synchronized collective effort for an EU PET circular economy.

• 16:30-16:45 How brands such as Adidas, H&M, or the Decathlon of this world approach circularity (TBC)

• 16:45-17:00 Insights from EPRs (Refashion TBC)

• 17:00-17:15 Associations (Karla Magruder accelerating Ciruclarity TBC)

• 17:15-17:30 European Commission ( DG Grow TBC)

17:30-17:45 Q&A Session

• Could a global forum on synthetic fibers, similar to the Circular Plastics Alliance led by DG GROW for plastic packaging, promote global collaboration, synchronized growth through a transparency attitude to evaluate progress across the value chain and be helping for regulatory adjustments?

• Ensuring compliance through continuous monitoring.

17:45-18:00 Wrap-up and Conclusions by Christian Crepet from PETCORE EUROPE

Host or Publisher Petcore Europe