Press releases

Two days full of interesting discussions and presentations - that was the conclusion of the first Circular Valley Convention at the Areal Böhler in Düsseldorf.

From sustainable product developments and exciting masterclasses to an interactive ‘miniature wonderland’ - visitors can discover circular approaches to shaping the future of the plastics industry. At the Circular Valley Convention (CVC) 2025 in Düsseldorf from 12 to 13 March 2025, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE will be presenting innovative solutions for a circular plastics economy.

As part of the new “CircularInFoam” project, researchers at Fraunhofer CCPE are developing sustainable, circular insulation materials based on recyclates and biopolymers. In view of the challenges in the building sector, which is responsible for 35% of final energy consumption in Germany, the project aims to reduce heat loss and support climate neutrality by 2045. Preliminary work is already being presented at BAU 2025 in Munich.

The odor of recycled plastics is a major challenge for their recycling and requires customized solutions. Recyclates can have undesirable odors that come from various sources, such as microbiological degradation or residues of previous contents. This is precisely where the Fraunhofer CCPE compact on December 5, 2024, on the topic of “Emission and odor optimization in plastics and recyclates” comes in. Prof. Andrea Büttner, Board of Management Member of the Fraunhofer CCPE and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, provides initial answers to key questions in this interview.

Recycling is resource protection. This is confirmed by the study published today by Fraunhofer UMSICHT on behalf of Interzero. In 2023, the circular economy service provider Interzero avoided a total of 1.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by recycling around 2.5 million tonnes of recyclable materials. At the same time, Interzero was able to save over 11.1 million tonnes of primary resources together with its customers. In order for the transformation to a circular economy to succeed, new cycles must also be established for material groups that were previously neglected.

What topics are currently important for the circular economy Prof Dr. Manfred Renner, Head of the Fraunhofer Cluster Circular Plastics Economy CCPE, talks about the current challenges and opportunities. From necessary guidelines, like the national circular economy strategy, to the importance of multi-stakeholder cooperation, such as the Circular Valley Convention in Düsseldorf in March 2025.

The sense of smell, often underestimated, plays an important role in our daily lives. In the circular economy, particularly in recycling, odor is a significant issue. Often, foul-smelling recyclates make the recycling process more challenging. This is where the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE comes in, developing various strategies to reduce odors in plastic recyclates.

For the first time, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE will present the topic ‘Sustainable Geosynthetics for Landscaping’ at ACHEMA 2024 alongside the topic ‘Advanced Recycling’. We cordially invite you to visit us at the trade fair in Frankfurt (Hall 6.0 – Research and Innova-tion | Booth D49).

There is a growing demand for information on the environmental impact of the use of recycled plastic. However, publications and reliable data are rare. Now is the time for industry, academia and policy makers to share ideas and reach a consensus on how to model the environmental impact of recycled plastics. This is exactly where the Fraunhofer CCPE compact on 20 June 2024 on "Impacts of recycled plastics – A stakeholder approach to find consensus in LCA" comes in. Dr Anna Kerps and Tanja Fell give us an initial insight in this interview.

The VDMA and the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE are presenting the Chemical Recycling Spotlight Area at IFAT. Technologies for the recycling of plastics that can complement established mechanical processes will be presented, including solvent-based processes, solvolysis, pyrolysis and gasification.