More than 20 presentations will address the challenges and opportunities of plastic recycling, considering the legislative context, market trends and the latest technological developments.
Image Credit: AIMPLAS
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, will host the third edition of PLASREC, its International Plastic Recycling Seminar, on 10–11 December. The event has established itself as the leading forum for discussing the challenges and opportunities of plastic recycling within the framework of the circular economy. Over two days and through more than 20 presentations, nearly 150 professionals will gather to analyze the legislative context, market trends and the most innovative technologies.
In addition, on the first day, the inaugural Hackathon of the AIMPLAS-UV Chair - PlastiGO - will take place in parallel with the seminar sessions. This interdisciplinary competition will bring together students of chemical engineering, biotechnology and chemistry, who will present innovative solutions to improve plastic recycling.
The event will begin with a session dedicated to the economic and legal context of plastic recycling. It will address key issues such as geopolitics and its impact on waste, presented by Nicolás Molina (FER), and the global outlook for the recycling sector, presented by Óscar Hernández (ANARPLA). Ettore Musacchi (ETRA) will provide insights into tyre recycling within the framework of the Green Deal and competitiveness, while Ángela Osma (ANAIP) will analyze the new packaging regulation focused on recyclability and recycled content. The session will conclude with Irene Mora (Plastics Europe), who will present key data and competitiveness challenges for the European plastics industry.
The second session will focus on the challenges posed by waste collection and sorting, with presentations on the application of artificial intelligence in waste management by Roberto Paredes (SOLVER IA), and advanced classification systems for footwear waste using computer vision, presented by Daniel Carrero (PICVISA). Marc Puyuelo (COLEO) will address the role of synthetic fibers in textiles and their potential for circularity, and the block will close with a presentation from a representative of Griñó.
Later that afternoon, the third session will address mechanical recycling technologies. Adrián Morales (AIMPLAS) will outline the challenges and trends in the field, followed by Ángel Martínez (ACTECO), who will present recent developments in recycling. Vincent Rerat (BRÜGGEMANN) will analyze the challenge of post-consumer PP/EPDM recycling, while José Antonio Alarcón (PETCORE) will explain the multilayer tray delamination protocol developed in collaboration with AIMPLAS.
The day will end with the presentation of the winning proposals from the PlastiGO Hackathon organized by the AIMPLAS-UV Chair.
Second Day: Solutions for Complex Waste
The second day will begin with a session on chemical and enzymatic recycling technologies. Santiago Llopis (AIMPLAS) will open the block with an overview of the challenges and trends in chemical recycling, followed by Richard Aceituno (GSF), who will discuss limitations and potential improvements in plastic pyrolysis. Irene Méndez (ENTZIMATIKO) will present an innovative biological depolymerization technology without solvent-based pretreatment, while Hernán Calvo (Plastic Energy) will outline the opportunities of chemical recycling to drive the circular economy. Jorge Ávila (MODUS) will close the session with the FOAK industrial project for the chemical recycling of plastics and textiles in Spain.
The second session on 11 December will explore advanced recycling technologies. Oliver Dietrich (MESSER) will explain mechanical recycling of rubber and plastics using liquid nitrogen; Carles Gómez (PROMAK) will detail the advantages of twin-screw extruders for improving recycled plastic quality; and Peter Kolbe (Kubota Brabender) will analyze strategies for dosing heterogeneous recycled plastics. Bárbara Franch (UBE) will present real success stories in PE/PA recycling.
The seminar will conclude with a session on sector-specific compliance with recycling targets. Jose David Allo (TEXFOR) will analyze the barriers and opportunities for recycling in the textile sector; Paula Quintanilla (SOSTENPLAS) will explain circularity in WEEE plastics; Juan Antonio Ruiz (ANTOLÍN INGENIERÍA) will present plastic recovery in the automotive sector; and Helena Abril (AEMAC) will debunk the myth that composite materials used in the wind energy sector are non-recyclable.
In addition to the presentations and the parallel Hackathon of the AIMPLAS-UV Chair, PLASREC will feature workshops on the FREE4LIB and CÍCLICOM projects and, as usual, include networking spaces, an exhibitor area, a scientific poster section and a visit to AIMPLAS facilities. All of this is possible thanks to the support of a dozen sponsoring organizations: PICVISA, GSF Upcycling, ENTZIMATIKO, PROMAK Solutions, Gravipes, Kubota Brabender, ANARPLA, ANAIP, Mayper, Acteco, Intecsa Industrial (MODUS) and Messer.
The third edition of PLASREC will also be the most sustainable to date, as AIMPLAS is collaborating with the Revivack platform, which has issued the center a Circular Pass. This guarantees the traceability and recovery of materials used at the event, ensuring that merchandising, roll-ups and other elements are given a circular end-of-life, thereby reducing the environmental footprint.