VARIMIT

Research on the migration of uncertainties associated with the variability of recycled plastic materials from heterogeneous sources

  • R+D project financed by the AEI program (Agrupacions Empresarials Innovadores), call 2021. Reference: AEI-010500-2021-116. Duration: April 9, 2021 to March 31, 2022
  • Consortium format by CEP, ITAINNOVA, Zatec and CITSALP
  • Total budget: €200,221 (ITAINNOVA participates with €88,351); Total funding: €145,519

Project execution period: 04/01/2021 to 03/31/2022

 

Project objectives

  • Mitigate uncertainties inherent to the variability of recycled plastic from heterogeneous sources (industrial waste, post-consumer, etc.)

  • Support the use of recycled plastics in demanding applications, especially in the automotive sector, in line with European circular economy regulations

  • Develop methodologies that combine digital techniques (data analysis, machine learning, simulation) with experimental research to reduce technical, economic, and industrial barriers

Expected benefits

  • Acceleration of the approval process for recycled materials in technical parts

  • Reduction of technical and economic risks in recycling and injection processes

  • Progress toward a circular economy in the plastics sector by reducing the use of virgin materials

  • Improved competitiveness and sustainability for the sector, especially for SMEs and mid-sized companies

Conclusion

VARIMIT4.0 represents an important step in addressing the intrinsic variability of recycled plastic by combining:

  • Digital tools (advanced analytics and machine learning)
  • Experimental research
  • Robust simulation

This makes it possible to increase adoption in demanding industrial applications, especially automotive, reinforcing the circularity of the plastic sector.