April 2022

WP6 focusses on the polymer sector. Plastics are heavily used in our day-by-day world and are one of the pillars of the wellness generated. The lightweight, high mechanical performance and cheap raw material and production processes made the polymers essential in our lives. On the other hand, being fossil-based with energy harvesting production, the level of emission of the plastic process put high attention on the impact on our ecosystem, without underrating the end of life of the products realised.

Elastomeric foams, compared to foams made from thermoplastics in general, have unique properties like tensile strength leading to their widespread use, higher flexibility, energy absorption capabilities, resistance to abrasion, and strength-to-weight ratio. These properties mean that these materials have found a wide range of applications, including thermal insulation, energy absorbers, pressure sensors and absorbents.

Three main techniques can be distinguished to produce elastomeric foams: injection moulding, extrusion and batch foaming. The first two methods are commonly used for large-scale production at an industrial scale. The third one is mostly used for small production runs, laboratory investigations, fundamental studies or bulk production.

In 2021, the average European collected 530kg of garbage (the average in Poland is slightly lower, 358kg). At the same time, selective collection accounted for about 50% of the total amount of waste. The reuse of waste as raw materials is already a necessity, the methods and ways that will be used for this purpose remain an open question.

Can 3D printing be an opportunity for the development of social and professional activity in local communities? Can plastic waste from households or companies be used for 3D printing? Is it possible to build a local social enterprise on this basis, that creates job opportunities for people at risk of social exclusion? OPUS Center together with Leda Polymer, the Parzęczew municipality and K-FLEX are looking for answers to these questions by analysing the answers to the above questions and working with the inhabitants of Parzęczew.

In recent years, the circular economy has gained importance and momentum at the European level and is considered an essential means to fight climate change in the Green Deal and European funding programmes. One of the goals of FRONTSH1P is to highlight the importance of citizen engagement within the entire system as an enabling factor for the regional transition towards the circular economy. The involvement of citizens in real processes, and undertaking specific practices, will ensure the reduction and/or refusal of not necessary consumption of goods, and the reusing and extension of the life of such consumed goods.