periodical technical report

© REACT Consortium 2019-2022 of 47

GRANT AGREEMENT N°: 820869 Call: H2020-SC5-2018-2019-2020

Topic: CE-SC5-01-2018 Type of action: RIA

RECYCLING OF WASTE ACRYLIC TEXTILES

Periodical Technical Report

Part B

Period covered by the report: from 01/06/2019 to 30/11/2020

Periodic report: 1st

History of Changes

VERSION PUBLICATION DATE CHANGE

2.2 15/01/2021 1st Draft

Periodical Technical Report 1 – Part B


TABLE OF CONTENTS

GRANT AGREEMENT N°: 820869 .................................................................................................... 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................................................... 2

1 EXPLANATION OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT BY THE BENEFICIARIES AND

OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRESS .................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 3

1.2 Explanation of the work carried per WP ................................................................................ 15

1.2.1 Work Package 1: Recollection, sorting and analysis of waste acrylic textiles; black logistic

implementation....................................................................................................................................... 15

1.2.2 Work package 2: Elimination of finishing chemical products ............................................... 21

1.2.3 Work package 3: Treatment of removed chemicals ............................................................... 26

1.2.4 Work package 4: Mechanical recycling and spinning ............................................................ 27

1.2.5 Work package 5: Textile production, finishing and testing.................................................... 29

1.2.6 Work package 6: LCA and Recommendations ...................................................................... 29

1.2.7 Work package 7: Dissemination and communication ............................................................ 31

1.2.8 Work package 8: Management ............................................................................................... 34

1.2.9 Work package 9: Ethics requirements .................................................................................... 35

ACCEPTED STANDARDIZATION CONTRIBUTIONS .............................................................. 40

1.3 Impact ..................................................................................................................................... 41

2 UPDATE OF THE PLAN FOR EXPLOITATION AND DISSEMINATION OF

RESULT ................................................................................................................................................ 43

3 UPDATE OF DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN .................................................................. 44

4 FOLLOW-UP ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM

PREVIOUS REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 45

5 DEVIATION FROM ANNEX 1 .......................................................................................... 46

5.1 Use of Resources .................................................................................................................... 46



1 EXPLANATION OF THE WORK CARRIED OUT BY THE BENEFICIARIES AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRESS

This section provides a detailed presentation of each project objectives and its associated achievements

with a comprehensive summary of what has been accomplished during Period 1 of the project

(01/06/2019 to 30/11/2020).

The project work is progressing on schedule. All planned deliverables have been produced and all

respective milestones have been met.

1.1 Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to develop a method to remove undesirable substances

(fluorocarbons, melamine and acrylic resins, anti-mold agents) from waste of acrylic fabrics with

an environment friendly process to enhance their recycling, improve sustainability and reduce

environmental and health risk, as stated in Regulation (EC) No 1907/20061.

Therefore, the specific objectives of this proposal, to be reached within its 36 months duration, are:

• To remove those hazardous substances whose presence could adversely affect the quality of the secondary raw materials and prevent their recycling;

• To reach a removal rate of 90-95% of those substances;

• To treat up to 99% of all sewage impurities, obtained from removal steps, for safe utilisation

or disposal of these substances;

• To obtain a final textile product with yarn coming from 100% recycled fibre, mixing regenerated fibres from card, winding opened thread and waste material collected fibre, each up to 33%

• To re-use the acrylic textiles as raw material for other production cycles, also in combination with virgin fibres, to reach 30 % of waste prevented from disposal (3.600 tonnes total) for the outdoor sector (awnings and furnishing);

• To produce recommendations on production chain implementation (management and recovery of production scraps) and on design and manufacturing of materials to enhance

recyclability and recommendation for technology transfer (knowledge transfer to other products and applications) and for standards.

This aims to be beneficial and highly impactful for the whole environment and thereby improve quality

of life for all European citizens with overall resonance and high potential on a global scale.

Measurable output KPI Achieved

On time achievement of Objectives KPI 1.1 No delayed

Textile waste amount by type of finishing

applied KPI 1.2

Collected an amount larger than 3600

kg

Minimization of mistakes made in the

validation of the NIR model KPI 1.3

Zero mistakes in the validation of the

NIR model

Number of treated textile wastes KPI 2.1

3 – fabrics finished for awnings,

coated fabrics and fabrics finished for

outdoor furnishings



Number of removed substances at lab scale KPI 2.2

4 – lab scale removal above 90% for

melamine formaldehyde resin,

fluorocarbon resin, acrylic resin and

softeners

Quantity of pollutants removed by type of

fabric KPI 2.3

Simple acid hydrolysis: only

melamine formaldehyde resin and

softeners are fully removed

Sequential treatment including UV

irradiation: all finishing compounds

are fully removed

Validation of NIR model KPI 2.4 To be performed

Removal quantity of pollutants from

wastewater KPI 3.1 To be performed

Influence of filtration in the water treatment

plant performance KPI 3.2 To be performed

Number of fibres that will have sufficient

length to be spun KPI 4.1 At least 87.5%

Efficiency of recycling: quantity of recycled

yarn obtained from 1 kg of waste fabric KPI 4.2 To be performed

Number of fabric trials for testing KPI 5.1 To be performed

Use of prototype as a new fully compliance

solar protection device (0=no 1=yes) KPI 5.2 To be performed

% of performances reached with eco-

friendly treatments in comparison with

current finishes

KPI 5.3 To be performed

Level of compliance with EU Ecolabel

specifications KPI 5.4 To be performed

Number of enterprises that could use

similar solutions KPI 6.1 To be performed

Number of other production areas selected

to maximize the dissemination results KPI 6.2 To be performed

Number relevant contacts reached among the primary target: industry researchers and

secondary target: policy makers and general

public

KPI 7.1

Around 1000 contacts between

Website, social media, events and

publications

Number of publications in scientific and

industrial magazines KPI 7.2

10 publications of vertical industry

magazines

Number of events organized and attended KPI 7.3 4 events attended

Flyers, posters/roll-ups KPI 7.4 1 flyer and 3 posters

Project website KPI 7.5 Around 1000 unique visitors to the

website



Social media KPI 7.6

72 followers on Twitter, 67 followers

on LinkedIn, 140 YouTube channel

views

e-newsletter (published every 4 months) KPI 7.7 57 subscribers

Press releases KPI 7.8 1 press release

Videos KPI 7.9 2 videos published on the REACT

YouTube channel

On time achievement of milestones KPI 8.1 MS3 and MS9 delayed by 3 months

Cost variances against budget KPI 8.2 NyA

Number of incidents occurred KPI 8.3 No incidents



GANTT CHART



LIST OF DELIVERABLES

The following Deliverables were achieved in M1-M18 of the project.

Deliv

no.

Deliverable name WP

no.

Lead

Beneficiary

Natur

e

Disseminatio

n

level

Delivery

Date

From

Annex 1

Actual

Delivery

Date

Comments

D1.1 Plan design of waste storage WP1 PARA' SPA D Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

6 4th Dec. 19

D1.2 Classification system:

methodology for waste

classification

WP1 PARA' SPA OTH Public 12 2nd June 20

D1.3 Report on acrylic textile waste

characterization WP1 CENTROCOT R Public 18

D6.1 Life Cycle Environmental

Assessment Report for virgin

acrylic textile

WP6 CENTROCOT R

Public 15 31st Aug. 20

D6.2 Recommendation on

production chain and

backlogistic

WP6 PARA' SPA R Public 18

D7.1 Dissemination and

exploitation strategy and plan WP7 MARTEL

GMBH

R Public 3 9th Sept. 19



D7.2 Intermediary report on

dissemination and exploitation

of results

WP7 MARTEL

GMBH

R Public 18 4th Dec. 20

D7.3 Mid-term policy report WP7 CENTROCOT R Public 18 Not yet

D8.1 Project quality and

contingency plan

WP8 CENTROCOT R Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

2 5th Aug. 19

D8.2 Internal Project Periodic

Report a WP8 CENTROCOT R Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

3 9th Sept. 19


Report b


only for

members of the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

6 4th Dec. 19


Report c


only for

members of

9 28th Feb. 20



the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)


Report d


only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

12 2nd June 20


Report e


only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

15 31st Aug. 20

D8.12 Internal Financial Report a WP8 CENTROCOT R Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

6 4th Dec. 19

D8.13 Internal Financial Report b WP8 CENTROCOT R Confidential,

only for

members of

12 2nd June 20



the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

D8.16 Data Management Plan WP8 CENTROCOT ORDP Public 6 24th Jan. 20

D9.1 EPQ - Requirement No. 1 WP9 CENTROCOT Ethics Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

3 2nd Oct. 19

D9.2 EPQ - Requirement No. 2 WP9 CENTROCOT Ethics Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

18 Not yet

D9.3 POPD - Requirement No. 3 WP9 CENTROCOT Ethics Confidential,

only for

members of

the

consortium

(including the

Commission

Services)

3 2nd Oct. 19

Table 1 : List of REACT Deliverables



DELIVERABLE ABSTRACTS

D1.1: Plan design of waste storage

Design of a plan for collection, organisation and storage of textile waste

D1.2: Classification system: methodology for waste classification

Development of a classification method for Identification, classification and registration of textile

waste coming from production process or products at the end of their life

D1.3: Report on acrylic textile waste characterization

Report on characterization of acrylic textile waste with different kind of techniques, in order to

evaluate which kinds of chemical products must be removed

D6.1: Life Cycle Environmental Assessment Report for virgin acrylic textile

LCA analysis of virgin acrylic textile performed following PEF method and taking into account

inputs and outputs of each process, such as energy, water and chemicals consumption, gas emission,

waste generation.

D6.2: Recommendation on production chain and backlogistic

New references on production chain for the management of textile industrial waste and references

on back logistic, for the implementation of take-back and rental-services approaches.

D7.1: Dissemination and exploitation strategy and plan

The Dissemination and Communication Strategy and Plan will be the guideline for dissemination and

communication activities throughout the entire project duration.

D7.2: Intermediary report on dissemination and exploitation of results

The Intermediary Report on Dissemination and Communication will outline of the intermediary

results for dissemination and communication activities throughout the half project duration

D7.3: Mid-term policy report

The mid-term policy report will include initial recommendations on research and innovation; policy

for the engagement of the European industries, SMEs, Research centres and end-users;

environmental legislation and policy.

D8.1: Project quality and contingency plan

A Quality & Contingency Plan will be structured, containing procedures to monitor quality of

activities and tackle any risk or incident if it happens and including Gantt table, List of Deliverables

and Milestones, Risk Assessment, and List of Key Performance Indicators.

D8.2: Internal Project Periodic Report a

Periodic monitoring of the progression of work activities, ensuring that both the general project

objectives and the individual work package objectives are met by comparing the estimated baseline

against actual performance.

D8.3: Internal Project Periodic Report b




D8.4: Internal Project Periodic Report c






D8.5: Internal Project Periodic Report d




D8.6: Internal Project Periodic Report e




D8.12: Internal Financial Report a

Systematic Financial Report to monitor the progress of project expenditure to be sent and discussed

with Partners in a phone/skype conference or in a meeting

D8.13: Internal Financial Report b

Systematic Financial Report to monitor the progress of project expenditure to be sent and discussed

with Partners in a phone/skype conference or in a meeting

D8.16: Data Management Plan

The data management plan will be structured to define how to check regularly GDPR compliance of

the project and freedom to operate (FTO). In particular, the data management plan will describe model,

use and check instruments to assure IPR analysis during project development. Instruments as Non-

Disclosure Agreement, Consortium Agreement, Contract R&D, Consultancy and Licensing will be

used in IPR matters during the project and in its exploitation phase.

D9.1: EPQ - Requirement No. 1 [3]

Further information about the measures that will be taken to mitigate the risks of possible harm to the

environment including details on the safe disposal of sewage impurities and other hazardous substances,

especially as regards the Wastewater treatment Scale-Up in T3.3 must be submitted as a deliverable. -

Copies of authorisations for relevant facilities (e.g., security classification of laboratory) must be kept

on file. - The beneficiaries must confirm that appropriate health and safety procedures, conforming to

relevant local/national guidelines/legislation, will be followed for staff involved in this project before

the related work starts and copies of relevant authorisations must be kept on file.

D9.2: EPQ - Requirement No. 2

The beneficiaries must ensure that the work of subcontractor in Task 2.5 will comply with necessary

safeguards and mitigating measures to minimize the environmental risks and harmful effects for human

health. This must be submitted as deliverable before relevant work starts.

D9.3: POPD - Requirement No. 3

The beneficiaries must confirm GDPR compliance, including relevant systems and privacy practices

and deploy privacy-by-design and privacy-by-default. - The beneficiaries must provide a statement that

technical and organisational measures compliant with GDPR will be implemented. - The beneficiaries

must confirm that personal data transfer between the EU and non-EU countries will be in accordance

with Chapter 5 of GDPR and with the laws of the countries in which the data was collected. - Data

Processing Agreement/Addendum (or equivalent) with data processor (i.e. LinkedIn, Twitter etc.)

including relevant assessment of the controls of third party who store or process personal data - must

be kept on file.



List of Milestones

The following Milestones were achieved in M1-M18 of the project.

Mileston

e No.

Milestone name Related

WP(s)

no.

Lead

beneficiar

y

Delivery date

from Annex I

Actual

Delivery Date

Means of

Verification

Achieved Comments

MS1 Recollection of minimum

quantities for tearing and

spinning (50 kg) for one

category

WP1 PARA'

SPA

8 Recollection of

minimum

quantities for

tearing and

spinning (50 kg)

for one category

MS2 Recollection of 2000 kg

of waste to reach 3600 kg

at the end of the project

WP1 PARA'

SPA

12 Recollection of

2000 kg of waste

to reach 3600 kg at

the end of the

project

MS3 Identification of removal

processes with efficacy al

least of 80% for each

finishing type

WP2 Ghent

University

14 Identification of

removal processes

with efficacy al

least of 80% for

each finishing type

Y Extensive report

available. The

milestone was

achieved later than

the projected

delivery date due to

COVID-19 delays,

as agreed upon.

MS4 1 cleaned sample for each

of the 3 identified

finishing types

Ghent

University

12 1 cleaned sample

for each of the 3

identified finishing

types

Y



MS8 Project website and

social media accounts

online

WP7 MARTEL 2 19th July 19 Project website and

social media

accounts online

Y

MS9 Engagement workshop

organised

WP7 MARTEL 1 29th Oct 20 Engagement

Workshop

Y The workshop,

planned for May

2020, was

postponed as

online webinar in

October 2020 due

to COVID.

Table 2 : REACT Milestones



1.2 Explanation of the work carried per WP

The PERT chart indicating the interactions between the work packages is shown below:

1.2.1 Work Package 1: Recollection, sorting and analysis of waste acrylic textiles;

black logistic implementation

Work Package 1 was successfully concluded in November 2020, fully complying with the objectives

set. It provided the knowledge base and gave direction for the further work in the REACT project.

This work package developed a model for collection and sorting of textile waste, with logistic and

business aspects. The collected waste has characterized in order to correctly address its following

treatment.

The objectives were:

• To collect at least 3600 Kg of acrylic textile waste from industrial and post-consumer source

• To perform the characterization of at least 10 waste samples

• To identify 3 categories of finishing and substances to be removed in WP2

WP1 is split into two tasks: Task 1.1: Back logistic approach; Task 1:2: Waste Characterization.

Sub-Work Package 1.1: Task 1.1: Back logistic approach

In a first step, groups of acrylic textile waste (“waste families”) and the storage space in order to host

and develop a real the waste collection model were identified.

The activities carried out:

• Logistic issue: identification and definition of locations to collect and store acrylic waste;



• Classification system: adoption/ development of registration methodology to store and sort all

the collected waste, classifying them by waste type, colour, quantity, pattern/texture, finishing,

installation place (related to sales volume and weathering) and finishing category;

• Industrial waste management: collection of waste coming from production processes (spinning,

warping, weaving, finishing, quality control) and separation by different shape (fibre, yarn and

fabric);

• Distribution: delivery of collected waste, according to their classification, to other partners for

the next steps, such as elimination treatment of hazardous substances and mechanical recycling.

REACT would to increase the recycling rate and reduced landfill and incineration of secondary raw

materials Therefore, REACT aims to reduce the incineration rate of waste from landfill acrylic fabrics

by at least 30% for the external sector (awnings and furniture).

In this context, PARA 'to design the warehouse waste (storage) has first analysed the entire production

chain and highlighted all types of waste produced. Below, table 1 defines the purposes for classifying

waste and the types of waste produced during the PARA production processes.

Actions Approach

Classification system adoption/ development of registration methodology to

store and sort all the collected waste, classifying them

by waste type, colour, quantity, pattern/texture,

finishing, installation place (related to sales volume and

weathering) and finishing category

Industrial waste management Collection of waste coming from production process

(spinning, warping, weaving, finishing) and their

classification (fibre, yarn and fabric).

PARA’ has developed a new type of "talking label" in which it is possible to obtain information

regarding the sending partner, the type of waste, its origin and the date of shipment.

In order to better understand how it is possible to recover post-consumer waste, we have released some

interviews with our most important customers in different sectors of use of acrylic fabrics, awnings,

umbrellas and furniture.

This labelling action is useful for the characterization and distribution phase of the waste to the project

partners in order to proceed with laboratory analyses and / or subsequent chemical and mechanical tests.



The results of the work carried out are described in the deliverable D1.1 Plan design of waste

storage which was delivered according to plan.

PARA’ identified all the different types of waste from the different stages of the production cycle. It

should be noted that fabrics and / or products that generate waste can be sub-categories in three other

categories. The sub-categories are closely related to the type of finishing applied to the fabric that makes

up the product.

Waste families

Below all the different types of waste from the different phases of the production cycle identified by

PARA’:

1) Spinning:

• Waste 1-1W from carding: no-separable multicolour (1) or white (1W) fibre;

• Waste 2 from carding: powder coming from suction filters – no-separable

multicolour fibre;

• Waste 3 from spinning machine: no-separable multicolour fibre;

• Waste 4-4W from spinning machine: no-separable multicolour (4) and white (4W)

yarn;

• Waste 5 from winder machine: single-colour separable yarn.

2) Weaving:

• Waste 6: multicolour yarn coming from the cutting of selvages (weaving

department).

3) Finishing:

• Waste 7: from finishing machine: multi-colour selvages with finish applied.

4) Quality Control:

• Waste 8 processing waste: finished fabrics coming from the quality control

department with the same finish as waste 7.

Collection of awnings and furniture fabrics at the end of their life –logistic organization and

pick up:



5) Customer’s processing waste:

• Waste 8 A1-8B1-8C1: fabrics coming from our customer that cuts and sews the

finished fabrics, so it is a waste completely comparable to waste 8. In this case we

have to manage the recovery from the customers sites;

6) Awnings / umbrella / furniture at the “end of life”:

• Waste 9: handmade articles of awnings, umbrella and furniture exposed in different

sites with different type of deposed dirty. We will collect awnings with 2 different

finish type A and B and furniture with finish C:

o awnings and umbrellas with finish A (standard) multi-colour and white;

o awnings with finish B (coated) multi-colour and white;

o Furniture multi-colour finishes C.

The following shows all the waste identified with the active sources of supply of the raw materials

used during production.

Sub-Work Package 1.2: Task 1.2: Waste Characterization

First, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and modulated Differential Scanning Calorimetry

(mDSC) were used to determine the glass transition temperature of the raw substrate fibres (approximately 100ºC, or 85-90ºC when plasticised with 2-3 m% water). In total, 16 DSC experiments

and 10 mDSC experiments were carried out.

Next, the raw fabrics were chemically identified by way of Fourier-transformed Infrared Spectroscopy

by Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR). Alongside information provided by Parà SPA, the fabric

was identified as a combination of 93% polyacrylonitrile and 7% polyvinyl acetate, and an infrared

spectrum of each chemical bond in this fabric was obtained; see Figure 1.2.1.1. Characterisation of the

fabric by Fourier-transformed Raman Spectroscopy was also attempted 12 times but yielded no usable

results.



Figure 1.2.1.1 – FTIR-ATR spectrum of the raw acrylic fabric, acting as a fingerprint for the chemical bonds.

As defined in deliverable D1.2, there are three types of acrylic fabric waste, corresponding to three

different finishes applied to the fabric: fabrics for awnings and umbrellas (awning finish), coated fabrics

(coating), and fabrics for outdoor furnishings (furnishing finish). The finishes are applied to the acrylic

fabric substrate with wetting agents and catalysts, but the constituent components of these finishes that

remain on the fabric after finishing are as shown in Figure 1.2.1.2.

Figure 2.2.1.2 – Identified chemical finish components on the three different finishing categories

Similarly, to the raw fabric characterisation, FTIR-ATR was used to chemically characterise the three

different finishes present on the waste fabrics. This was done on both liquid samples of the finishes –

provided by Soft Chemicals – and samples of finished fabrics – provided by Parà SPA. The spectra

gained in this way were later used to evaluate the effectiveness of any proposed finish removal

processes; see Task 2.4.

Through a standardized method, the fabrics were analysed by HPLC-MS to identify the chemical

composition and concentration of the perfluorinated compounds present in the finishing. Different

families of samples were analysed, finding the same chemical composition of the fluorocarbon resin

present on the fabric. Concentration values showed a 75% decrease in fluorocarbon resin in end-of-life

fabrics.

Ghent University did not only chemically characterise the waste materials, but also mechanically

characterised the acrylic fibres via fibre-scale tensile testing. This revealed the fabric – before any finish



removal process – to have a mean linear density of 2.08 dtex, maximum force of 6.65 cN, tenacity of

3.21 cN/dtex, elongation at break of 25.4% and Young’s modulus (between 0% and 1% elongation) of

3.28 GPa.

At the same time, Near-Infrared Reflectance analysis (NIR) of acrylic fabric is used to create database

and identify the main categories of finishing, in order to fix the standard products and to evaluate their

presence and characteristics. NIR analysis is a fast and not destructive method that allows with the

implementation of chemometric approach the determination of effective material characteristics and

define evaluation parameters, such as kind of finishing and concentration. The goal is to implement in

the developed system a NIR automatic forecasting method and models to identify and subsequently

classify collected waste, in comparison with original textile, with an error lower than 25%. The database

created will allow for the identification of chemicals or other contaminants on treated fibres and chose,

for each waste, the best treatment developed for their removal. In this way, it could be possible to set

the more appropriate scouring treatment corresponding to the impurities on the acrylic surfaces.

Centrocot analysed 40 samples for each classification family resulting from quality control with NIR.

The data obtained were treated using chemometric models (statistical and mathematical methods)

developing different prediction models in order to obtain a recognition of the raw fabric and of the three

identified finishes. The best model led to a 100% validation not finding any fabric prediction errors.

The results of the work carried out are described in the deliverables D1.2 Classification system:

methodology for waste classification and D1.3 Report on acrylic textile waste characterization which

were delivered according to plan.

PARA’ SPA

Major contributions to and review of D1.1, in particular with respect to the creation of the macro model

for the storage and of creation of waste groups; contributions to and review of D1.2, elaboration of a

methodology for selection and assessment of best characterization technologies; contributions to and

review of D1.3

CENTROCOT

Centrocot analysed fabrics from Parà using FT-ATR, HPLC-MS and NIR. He developed the prediction

system using NIR data with chemometric methods, developed at different steps and refining the

parameters to minimize the error.

Soft Chemicals

Soft Chemicals participated in Task 1.2.

Soft Chemicals proceeded by collecting samples of batches provided to Parà SPA, of products used to

finish acrylic textiles in order to start with chemical characterisation. This specific operation was done in order to focus on which kinds of chemical products need to be removed, side by side with Centrocot,

its subcontractor – the University of Bergamo, and Ghent University. After preliminary evaluations,

Soft Chemicals selected the suitable support on where testing each chemical product in order to be easily

removed for subsequent chemical treatment. Another relevant task was to identify chemicals used for

acrylic finishing by gathering the infrared spectrum of melamine resin with a relative catalyst, and of

fluorocarbon resin. A series of infrared spectra of the waste acrylic fabrics were also gathered, in order

to obtain a possible standard infrared reference of the chemical contaminants involved.

CETI



We have received from PARA 1417 kg textiles for the experiments of fraying planned in WP4. For an

improvement of the follow-up of the work we agreed with PARA to set up a file to follow the flows of

the different wastes sent and tested.

Type of waste

kg First

destination

date of shipment

Quantity of fiber

obtain

Send to

Yarn kg

destination to

chemical treatment

s

date of shipment

n° of warping trial

n° of weaving trial

open end

ring

W6 125 CETI 04/12/2019 120

8kg (yarn) to Parà

88kg still at CETI

8 no sept-20 1

1A- 100%

recycled

1B- weft virgin yarn

W7A 106 CETI 04/12/2019 76 69kg still at

CETI

W8A1 144 CETI 04/12/2019 106 Still at CETI

W6 266 CETI 05/08/2020 235 Jak spinning 16/09/2020

W7A 255 CETI 05/08/2020 225 Jak spinning 16/09/2020

W8A1 252 CETI 05/08/2020 222 Jak spinning 16/09/2020

8A 150 CETI 26/11/2020 Still at CETI

8AW1 134 CETI 26/11/2020 Still at CETI

Table 1.2.1.1 Tracking Quantities of Waste Sent by PARA

Ghent University

Ghent University participated in Task 1.2 and fully characterised the waste provided by Parà SPA.

Ghent University performed different analysis on the fabrics received by Parà, including DSC, mDSC,

FT-ATR and mechanical tests.

1.2.2 Work package 2: Elimination of finishing chemical products

This work package aims at the elimination of chemical products from the acrylic textile substrate, mainly

composed by resins and water-repellent finishing, that could be hazardous and could affect the

recyclability of waste material.

WP2 is split into five tasks: Task 2.1: Chemical removal; Task 2.2: Red-Ox removal; Task 2.3: Physical

pre—treatment; Task 2.4: Removal effectiveness; Task 2.5: Scale Up. Task 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 were merged

into “Removal processes” and expanded on, based on the experimental results. As per the REACT

proposal, Ghent University acted as the lead beneficiary and work package leader and worked with

Centrocot (with the University of Bergamo as its subcontractor), Soft Chemicals and CETI on Tasks

2.1-2.3, and with Centrocot (with the University of Bergamo as its subcontractor) and Soft Chemicals

on Task 2.4. Task 2.5 was headed by Soft Chemicals and supported by Centrocot (with the University

of Bergamo as its subcontractor).

TASK 2.1-2.3: Removal processes

Originally, focus was placed on the melamine formaldehyde resin component, and acid and alkaline

hydrolysis treatments were developed to remove this component, based on scientific literature.



Preliminary experiments were carried out by chemical bath treatment, and found that alkaline hydrolysis

alone would not work, but acid hydrolysis treatment was more promising. Thus, alkaline hydrolysis was

discarded, and a cheap, single-step acid hydrolysis treatment was created instead.

This acid hydrolysis treatment was optimised at Ghent University through design of experiment

(definitive screening design) and statistical modelling, providing robust removal of all melamine

formaldehyde resin and softeners, as evaluated by FTIR-ATR (see Task 2.4 for the description of the

removal effectiveness evaluation). The results of the two best removal treatments, termed “maximum

removal” and “industrial removal”, are shown in Figures 1.2.2.1 and 1.2.2.2. Note that the fluorocarbon

resin removal was only partial, and the acrylic coating could not be removed. More than 350 FTIR-ATR

tests and more than 100 chemical bath experiments were carried out to reach these results.

Figure 1.2.2.1 - Results of the acid hydrolysis treatments corresponding to the "maximum removal" parameter

set.

Figure 1.2.2.2 - Results of the acid hydrolysis treatments corresponding to the "industrial removal" parameter

set.

Tensile tests were also carried out throughout the screening design (more than 30 sets of 50 tests each)

and proved that – overall – no significant damage was wrought to the fibres’ mechanical properties

during these acid hydrolysis treatments. The linear density of the fibres was not significantly different before or after treatment, with two anomalies. The maximum force the fibres could resist (force at break)

and their tenacity (specific strength) similarly did not change much, with just a few samples showing

some statistically significant reduction. At the maximum, this resulted in a 10% loss of maximum force

or tenacity. The elongation at break did not change significantly for 23 of the samples and increased for

the remaining 13. The Young's modulus of the fibres (measured between 0% and 1% elongation)

generally increased in a statistically significant manner after treatment.

At the University of Bergamo – the subcontractor for Centrocot – sequential treatments were

investigated, consisting of acid and alkaline hydrolysis steps, but also of washing with a clay-based

detergent, thus combining chemical with mechanical treatments; see Figure 1.2.2.3. Several good

treatments were designed, that succeeded in removing all the melamine formaldehyde resin and

softeners, and even managed to remove a large fraction of the fluorocarbon and acrylic resins. The most

favourable sequential treatments were “A + C + B” or “B* + C + A”



Figure 1.2.2.3 – Chemical and mechanical treatments designed and performed at the University of Bergamo to

remove the chemical finishes.

The products used in these sequential treatments were developed and formulated by Soft Chemicals,

such as eco-scouring agent SOFTDET AT, wetting agent SOFTWET IP 97, sequestering and acid donor

SEQUESTER EMG/SB, detergent agent DETERGENT B10P and the specific detergent for alkaline

hydrolysis SOFTCLEANER T NEW.

To improve the removal of the fluorocarbon and acrylic resins, ultraviolet (UV) radiation treatments

were investigated, with a wavelength of 253.7 nm. This treatment was performed on dry samples for 10

or 60 minutes. This UV irradiation was applied to samples that had already undergone chemical

treatments and yielded excellent results for the sequential treatments developed by the University of

Bergamo. The best combination of treatments displayed the ability to remove 90% or more of each

finishing type (Figure 1.2.2.4), thus achieving the objective of WP2: “B* + C (+ A) + UV (60 min) +

A”. This combination of treatments allows Soft Chemicals to start the pre-industrial scale-up process.

The first ‘A’ step (washing with a clay-based detergent) was shown to be unnecessary to obtain the

desired removal of the components and is therefore shown in brackets: “B* + C (+ A) + UV (60 min) +

A”.

Figure 1.2.2.4 - Results of the UV radiation treatments following the best chemical and mechanical treatments,

performed at the University of Bergamo, as evaluated by FTIR-ATR.



While the goal of the WP has already been achieved, it is possible that the removal protocol may be

further improved by first applying the UV treatment, before any chemical treatment, as it attacks the

same chemical bonds within the molecular structure of the resin components. This will be further

investigated and may lead to simpler, cheaper treatments.

It should be noted that as of yet, no mechanical tests have been performed on the sequentially treated

fabrics, nor on the fabrics treated with UV radiation. As such, no statement can be made yet concerning

any possible damage these treatments may cause to the fibres’ mechanical properties. The tests are

currently being executed.

In conclusion, the goals of WP2 for Tasks 2.1-2.3 were to reach a removal rate of 90-95% of those

hazardous substances whose presence could adversely affect the quality of the secondary raw materials

and prevent their recycling, and to treat textile waste with 3 categories of finishing and substances,

identified in WP1, at lab scale. These goals were both achieved, and all results have been extensively

documented in a report for milestone MS3, as a basis for Task 2.5.

TASK 2.4: Removal effectiveness

To evaluate a finish removal process, the amount of any finishing component on the acrylic fabric

substrate before and after this process must be compared. For this project, the amounts of a certain

finishing component were measured quantitatively by FTIR-ATR. Additional qualitative tests were

done at the University of Bergamo in the form of water and oil repellency tests, to better understand the

influence of any remaining fluorocarbon and acrylic resin.

FTIR-ATR provides an infrared spectrum where each peak corresponds to a certain chemical bond

within the scanned sample. If characteristic peaks can be found for each component of each finish, the

removal of that component after treatment can be evaluated by measuring how much of that

characteristic peak was removed.

To find these characteristic peaks, a FTIR-ATR spectrum of an unfinished sample was subtracted from

a FTIR-ATR spectrum of a finished sample (before treatment), yielding a FTIR-ATR spectrum of the

pure finish. These were in accordance with the FTIR-ATR spectra of the liquid finishing compounds.

All spectra were taken using a Thermo Scientific Nicolet iS50 FT-IR. Infrared spectrum analysis

software (KnowItAll Informatics System 2020) was then used to find the prominent peaks that

correspond to the individual components within these finish spectra, as given here.

• Melamine formaldehyde resin: triazine (C3N3) ring stretch peak [1580-1520 cm-1]

• Fluorocarbon resin: CF2 symmetric stretch peak [1160-1140 cm-1]

• Acrylic resin: ester C=O stretch peak [1730-1725 cm-1]

• Softener: acid C-O stretch peak [1260-1230 cm-1]

To finally evaluate the effectiveness at which a finish component was removed, three FTIR-ATR spectra

were always compared (see Figure 1.2.2.5): the spectrum of a sample before treatment (starting

situation), the spectrum of the sample after treatment (what was achieved), and a spectrum of an

unfinished sample (the ideal goal to achieve). All samples were first acclimated to a room at 25°C and

65% relative humidity for at least 24 hours, before measuring these spectra. Baseline corrections and

normalisations were carried out using SpectraGryph 1.2, and then the reduction of each characteristic

peak was calculated from the three spectra via a self-written script using Python 3.5, and Visual Basic

in Microsoft Excel 2016.



Figure 1.2.2.5 – Example evaluation of the removal of melamine formaldehyde resin via the characteristic peak

of the triazine (C3N3) ring stretch around 1550 cm-1.

Where FTIR-ATR spectra evaluation failed to yield accurate results for the removal of the fluorocarbon

and acrylic resins, water, and oil repellency tests were carried out at the University of Bergamo. These

followed the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Test Method 118-2002

for oil repellency (hydrocarbon resistance), technically equivalent to ISO standard 14419. The water

and oil repellency tests were carried out on acrylic fabrics treated with acid/alkaline hydrolysis and clay-

based detergent washing, before and after UV irradiation to assess the contribution of the UV radiation

treatment to the finish removal. The commonly used solutions for the tests were demineralised water,

and "composition 1" and "composition 2" as mentioned in the standard, consisting of 100% Kaydol and

65:35 Kaydol:n-hexadecane by volume, respectively. This test allowed to confirm the sufficient removal

of the fluorocarbon and acrylic resin from the samples by qualitatively demonstrating that they are no

longer water or oil repellent; see Figure 1.2.2.6.

Figure 1.2.2.6 – Confirmation of fluorocarbon and acrylic resin removal by evaluation of the water and oil

repellency for the best combination of treatments B*+C(+A)_UV(60min)_A (8AW – awning finish, 8BW –

coated sample and 8CW – furnishing finish).



In conclusion, the goal of Task 2.4 was to find a method to assess the finish removal rate thanks to

laboratory testing, and this was achieved.

The following is a summary of the work carried out in WP2 by each partner

Ghent University: UGent evaluated the removal process of finishes on 3 waste categories (awnings,

coatings and furnishings) at laboratory scale, via a cheap, one step process: acid hydrolysis. The removal

process was optimised via a design of experiment approach and the removal effectiveness was evaluated

via FTIR-ATR analysis. Complete removal of the melamine formaldehyde resin and softeners was

possible via this approach. Tensile testing proved that no significant fibre damage was wrought to the

fibres mechanical properties by this one step treatment.

Centrocot (with subcontractor University of Bergamo): Centrocot, investigated the removal process of

finishes on 3 waste categories (awnings, coatings, and furnishings) at laboratory scale by carrying out sequential treatments, consisting of acid and alkaline hydrolysis steps, but also of washing with a clay-

based detergent, thus combining chemical with mechanical treatments. At the same time, were

investigated the contribution of UV radiation to the treatment. The removal process was optimized with

several combination of treatment. The removal effectiveness was evaluated through ATR, HPLC-MS

analysis, and oil repellency tests. The best combination of treatments led to fabrics with no-longer water

and oil repellency properties.

Soft Chemicals: Soft Chemicals aims to give contribute have developed, studied, and formulated

different specific products for chemical attacks such as eco-scouring agent SOFTDET AT, wetting agent

SOFTWET IP 97, sequestering and acid donor SEQUESTER EMG/SB, detergent agent DETERGENT

B10P and specific detergent for alkaline hydrolysis SOFTCLEANER T NEW.

Our research and development team have done several washing trials regarding tasks 2.1-2.2 and 2.3 on

acrylic waste textile 8A-8AW-8C provided from Parà to test relative efficiency.

Treatments have been done under pressure conditions with alkaline and acid hydrolysis.

Acid hydrolysis with SEQUESTER EMG/SB (sequestering agent developed by Soft Chemicals) has

allowed to obtain great results.

Several trials have been carried out in order to help partners in a creations of calibration curves to

determinate removal efficiency.

Soft Chemicals has developed and identified a pilot plan where is possible to wash waste acrylic working

under pressure condition and to treat directly frayed waste acrylic in order to obtain as efficacy as

possible

CETI: After the various experiments, the choice was made to work on the removal of the coating on

textiles in the state of fibres. We will therefore send 150kg of W8A and 134kg of W8AW1 (gross

quantities which do not consider the loss of material due to the fraying process) to Soft Chemicals for

coating shrinkage tests. Fraying of these materials is planned for January.

1.2.3 Work package 3: Treatment of removed chemicals

The focus of this work package shows that the characterization of effluent streams from removal

processes is very important to develop strategies for water treatment and reuse. To optimize treatment

and reuse possibilities, textile industry waste streams will be in principle considered separately. When

the characteristics of the separate streams are known, it will be decided which streams may be combined

to improve treatability and increase reuse options. Wastewater will be treated through conventional

anaerobic, aerobic, and combined anaerobic–aerobic biodegradation techniques.



Centrocot has begun to coordinate with UGent and UNIBg for the recovery of wastewater from fabric

cleaning processes. The work carried out by UGent and UNIBg in WP2 removes the finishing from the

fabric, the chemical residues that remain in the wastewater must be treated to decrease the pollutant load

in the wastewater. Treatments for the elimination of finishes that reach removal values similar to or

higher than the project objectives (80% removal) are subject to analysis.

The wastewater from the best treatment was collected separately for each process, on which common

water analysis and a wide-ranging screening will be performed. The latter with the aim of identifying

and trying to recover the chemical compounds.

Centrocot

Centrocot is collecting the wastewater of the best treatment (B* + C + UV (60 min) + A), separately for

each step and will start preliminary analysis.

1.2.4 Work package 4: Mechanical recycling and spinning

Within the framework of the REACT project, the objective is to study the feasibility of the fraying of

the so-called "outdoors" fabrics coming from the uncoated outdoor awnings. These textiles are

composed of acrylic fibres. The main objective is to achieve a total fraying of the fabrics while retaining

the greatest length of fibre.

3 different materials were received and frayed:

W8A1: multicolour fabrics for awnings/umbrellas from quality control dpt

(PA-DCA-051219 W8A1M1) (144kg) MP-072

W7A: Multicolour selvedge of awnings/umbrellas from finishing dpt

(PA-ICA-051219 W7AP1) (106kg) MP-073

W6: Multicolour selvedge from weaving dpt

(PA-ICU-051219 W6P1) (120kg) MP-074

A part of the fibres has been frayed in one step (4 rolls) and another part in 2 steps (2 x 4 rolls) in order

to optimize the quality of the fibres (by reducing the number of remaining yarns).

The obtained fibres are compared in term of Short fibres content, mean length and upper half mean

length:

Short Fibres Content

(SFC) [%]

Mean Length

(ML) [mm]

Upper Half Mean Length

(UHM) [mm]

One step Two steps One step Two steps One step Two steps

W8A1M1 -

Multicolour

fabrics for

awnings/um

brellas from

quality

control dpt

MP751

15,8 %

MP751

16,4 mm

MP751

23,2 mm

W7AP1 -

Multicolour

MP754 – 3 MP752 MP754 – 3 MP752 MP754 – 3 MP752



selvedges of

awnings/um

brellas from

finishing dpt

16,8 %

MP754 – 4

24,7 %

18,1 % 16,0 mm

MP754 – 4

14,0 mm

16,1 mm 23,1 mm

MP754 – 4

22,0 mm

22,8 mm

W6P1 -

Multicolour

selvedges

from

weaving dpt

MP754 – 1

10,1 %

MP754 – 2

8,7 %

MP753

7,1 %

MP754 – 1

21,6 mm

MP754 – 2

22,0 mm

MP753

24,2 mm

MP754 – 1

31,8 mm

MP754 – 2

32,5 mm

MP753

34,8 mm

Table 1.2.4.1: Fibre length values according to the type of waste

Following the fraying of the acrylic textile, the next trial consists to evaluate the feasibility of the

spinning of the different obtained fibres. The target is to obtain a yarn made with 100% of recycled

acrylic fibres.

The first step is the carding. This step consists of realise the sliver which will be used on the open-end

spinning technology. Frayed fibres from W8A1M1, W7AP1 and W6P1 (frayed in 2 steps) has been used

on the carding machine. The carding of W7AP1 and W8A1M1 was not possible with 100% of recycled

fibres. The sliver was too brittle to be used on spinning due to the low lengths of the fibres.

Only, fibres obtained from W6P1 (ML = 24 ,2 mm, UHM = 34,8 mm) having the longest fibres allowed

us to realise a sliver containing 100% of recycled fibres. The sliver weight is 5g/m and carding speed

17 kg/h.

The spinning was made on open-end which is the best technology of spinning for recycled fibres having

a low length.

Due to a low length of the frayed fibres, Multicolour fabrics for awnings/umbrellas from quality control

dpt (W8A1M1) and Multicolour selvedge of awnings/umbrellas from finishing dpt (W7AP1) did not

allow us to prototype a yarn made of 100% recycled fibres.

The length of the fibres obtain with Multicolour selvedge from weaving dpt (W6P1) is higher and

allowed us to produce a sliver which can be used for yarn spinning. Using 100% of fibres from

Multicolour selvedge from weaving dpt (W6P1), 8 bobbins has been prototyped: 4 bobbins Nm34 with

an alpha twist of 145 and 4 bobbins Nm34 with an alpha twist of 150.

Yarn

Co

un

t

Ten

acit

y

Elo

nga

tio

n

Max

imu

m F

orc

e

CV

%

[Nm

]

[cN

/dTe

x]

[%]

[cN

]

[%]

Reference USTER Nm 34 Viscose Open-end 34 1,02-1,43

10,1-13,4

297-417 12,2-14,8

Reference USTER Nm34 Acrylique CAF 34 1,34-1,70 11-15,8 394-500

12,3-14,4

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 Nm 34 Alpha 150 33,8 1,27 17,6 368,6 14,1



4 - 5 - 6 - 7 Nm 34 Alpha 145 33,9 1,13 16,8 334,4 13,0

Table 1.2.4.2: Characteristics of the 100% recycled acrylic yarns obtained

In conclusion, in order to use other recycled fibres from W8A1M1 and W7AP1 or other waste, the

recycled fibres have to be blend with X% of acrylic virgin fibres.

CETI

CETI has carried out fraying tests on different types of waste collected by Parà. CETI spun the material

without a frayed finish, creating a recycled yarn with an open-end process

JAK Spinning

1.2.5 Work package 5: Textile production, finishing and testing

WP5 started in September 2020.

WP5 comprises three tasks: Task 5.1: Textile production process; Task 5.2: Finishing; Task 5.3:

Prototyping.

During reporting period 1 only Task 5.1 was active. Task 5.2 will start in month 22 and Task 5.3 will

start in month 31.

After effective and efficient eco-friendly removal of chemical substances, mechanical recycling and

spinning trials, WP5 will re-introduce the collected waste on the market through weaving for the

production of new textile goods, at preindustrial level. So prepared recycled acrylic fabrics will be

treated during textile finishing processes in order to obtain high performances in line with the

requirements for ecological demands like formaldehyde and PFOA limitations and regulations.

CETI

CETI produced about 8 kg of open-end yarns.

PARÀ

PARÀ started weaving to test yarns in real operational context.

1.2.6 Work package 6: LCA and Recommendations

The main objectives of this work package are the evaluation of environmental impact of the whole

recycled product, with respect to virgin acrylic textile production, and emission of recommendation

for standardisation, technology transfer and eco-design.

Parà, Jak Spinning and Soft Chemicals cooperated with Centrocot in order to share in the correct way

all information contained in this public document.

At first, the production chain was studied (Centrocot) to reach a better understanding of virgin

production process that was separated in three different parts: the input materials, the process to convert



the fibres in products and the output materials. After that, a questionnaire with the relevant information

to use for LCA study and analysis was prepared.

The collection of data by partners (Jak, Parà and Soft Chemicals) involved in the virgin acrylic fabric

production is finished. The Centrocot sustainability area has started talks with the single partners

involved in order to understand the specific production chain of fabric and start to study and elaborate

the data in the software GaBi. Moreover, with the colloquies it is also possible apprehend the data to

include from database for complete the LCA study and identify the major environmental impact areas

to produce acrylic fabric. The LCA study obtained will be the starting point to evaluate the change of

environmental impact of recycling process develop in the project.

The data acquired in the previous months by the partners involved in the creation of the virgin acrylic

fabric were used to carry out the preliminary LCA study on the virgin fabric that will be compared at

the end of the project with the process developed by REACT with recycled acrylic fabric, through the application of the LCA methodology in accordance with the ISO standard series (ISO, 2006 a, b). The

Life Cycle Impact Assessment is carried out by means of Environmental Footprint method (EC, 2013)

as in its last update (Fazio et al., 2018), and by means of the CML method (Guinee et al., 2002) as in the

2016 update. Further references for the methodology are the PEF method for the transition phase

(Zampori and Pant, 2019), the LCA guidelines indicated by the Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC-IES,

2010) and the EPD International Programme (EPD International, 2019). The impact indicators adopted

are the ones recommended by European Commission when conducting a Product Environmental

Footprint (EC, 2013). The version selected is the most updated one (Fazio et al., 2018). The indicators

were used as in the version implemented into the GaBi software, where the method is named EF 3.0

(Environmental Footprint 3.0).

The study took into account the entire life cycle of the fabric (Figure 3), considering its use as awning,

this involved adding not only the fabric but also the aluminium structure to the LCA study.

Figure 3: System boundaries

Centrocot

Centrocot collected the input and output data for energy, chemicals and water from the various partners

involved for the production of virgin acrylic fabric, with the data obtained it performed an LCA study

on virgin acrylic fabric.

Ghent University



Ghent University has not started work on WP6 yet.

CETI

CETI has not started work on WP6 yet.

PARA’SPA

Parà aided Centrocot by providing all the data required for LCA evaluation regarding the weaving and

finishing processes.

Soft Chemicals

Soft Chemicals aided Centrocot by providing all the data required for LCA evaluation regarding the

chemicals used to finish acrylic fabrics.

JAK Spinning

Soft Chemicals aided Centrocot by providing all the data required for LCA evaluation regarding

spinning processes.

1.2.7 Work package 7: Dissemination and communication

The objectives of this work package are twofold. On one hand, to maximize the impact of the project

and ensure proper communication and dissemination of the results and subsequently to raise awareness

to the scientific and industrial stakeholders. On the other hand, to ensure the sustainability of the results

once the project is over in correlation with the individual exploitation intentions of the partners.

WP7 comprises of two tasks: Task 7.1: Dissemination, Communication and Events; Task 7.2:

Exploitation.

Martel, as WP7 Leader was responsible for internal coordination on dissemination planning and

dissemination of the project’s activities and results to a broad audience and related media at large; as

such, the work carried out by Martel includes:

• Set up of REACT’s website (https://www.react-project.net/) and regular updates regarding

projects’ news (28, as of November 2020), events, publications, press clipping and

promotional resources. As of November 2020, the website has yielded 2.155 Unique visitors,

who generated 5,333 Page views.

Figure 3: Website Statistics

https://www.react-project.net/)



• Set up of REACT’s social media outlets (Twitter and LinkedIn accounts – 103 and 126

followers respectively, at the end of Period 1) and subsequent continuous animation of such

outlets, cross-echoing news content of the website’s news section.

• Creation of REACT-branded templates for presentations and deliverables, keeping the

project’s image coordinated across several activities.

• Promotional materials (based on input from the partners), which includes 1 Project

overview flyer/leaflet (2,000 copies distributed online and offline); 1 poster (featuring an

overview of the project’s main goals and envisioned process) and 2 roll-ups, used to promote

REACT at several events.

• 4 Newsletters for the project, disseminating REACT’s achievements and participation to

events (October 2019; January, May, October 2020), for a total reach of 68 subscribers, as of

November 2020.

Figure 4: REACT’s 3rd and 4th Newsletter issues

• 4 Videos produced and uploaded to the project’s official YouTube channel and, simultaneously,

on the website, for a total of 271 views (as of November 2020). The videos are related to

participation and showcases at events and webinars, plus broadcasting coverage.

• The organization and the promotion of the Engagement Workshop, which was conducted

as an online Webinar entitled “Sustainable circular economy: Removing finishing chemical

products from acrylic textile”. Martel set up and hosted the event on Zoom and curated a



promotional campaign across social media and textile-related news outlets, with a total reach of

about 5,200 stakeholders

Figure 5: Twitter card/web banner template created for REACT’s Engagement Workshop/Webinar online

promotional campaign

More details on activities carried out and materials produced can be found in the “Dissemination

Activities” table (Table 3) contained in this document.

Martel also led and curated both D7.1 and D7.2 Dissemination and Communication activities

reports, which further detail WP7 activities and KPIs and are available in the deliverables section of

REACT’s website.

Centrocot

Ghent University

Ghent University participated in Task 7.1 and 7.2.

Ghent University published a media article to the textiles industry, and the article in it can be found

here : https://www.react-project.net/2020/11/11/react-in-unitex-journal/.

The Engagement Workshop “Sustainable circular economy: Removing finishing chemical products

from acrylic textile” was also joined by Ghent University, at which a presentation was given.

Additionally, Ghent University helped Martel with creation of the videos and promotional material.

The results on the removal processes of the different types of finishes evaluated in WP2 will be

incorporated into peer-reviewed scientific publications. In addition, the work performed at lab scale with

a finish removal effectiveness of more than 90% can now be used for the upscaling of this process to

pre-industrial scale. The exploitability will thus depend on the further developments downstream.

in UNITEX, explaining the REACT project as a whole. UNITEX is a Belgian magazine distributed

https://www.react-project.net/resources/deliverables/


https://www.react-project.net/2020/11/11/react-in-unitex-journal/



CETI

PARÀ SPA

Soft Chemicals

JAK Spinning

1.2.8 Work package 8: Management

The aim of WP Project Management is to coordinate all the project activities by means of:

- an organizational structure of the partnership to manage tasks, deliverables, milestones, risks, and

decisions to be taken and to monitor all activities;

- the full financial and administrative management of the project, complying with rules and duties

to the signed grant agreement.

WP8 Project Management included monitoring the progress of all work done and the budget and

resources used and ensuring the timely completion of deliverables. The REACT consortium was made

up of seven partners, a number which is manageable with an agile and relatively lean structure, and so

operational management has been carried out in a collaborative way in accordance with the precepts of

good governance and the usual operational procedures of each organisation in such a way as to ensure

timely and appropriate participation in the activities assigned to the organisation and the achievement

of the objectives of the project. Throughout the project the coordinating partner, and the WP leaders,

monitored progress, carried out risk assessment and flagged any issues for discussion at the regular

project meetings. The applicant and partners provided detailed financial report of their activities,

providing evidence of costs as per financial and administrative requirements.

In the first 18 months of the Project:

• 21 deliverables were expected to be submitted and all of them have been released

• 5 milestones were set and achieved.

• Four project meetings were held

• All the partners received the first instalment by October 2019.

WP8 comprises two Tasks: T8.1: Technical Management and Monitoring, T8.2: Financial and

Administrative Management

Centrocot

Ghent University

Ghent University participated in Tasks 8.1 and 8.2.

Ghent University created the report with the results of WP2 (as part of milestone MS3) and filled in all

monitoring reports (including risk assessments and financial reports).



Ghent University also participated in all meetings that included all other members of the consortium.

CETI

PARÀ SPA

Soft Chemicals

JAK Spinning

Martel supported Project Management functions by setting up an online repository accessible by all

partners in order to store and share documents. Martel also provided a space on the video conference

tool GoToMeeting, to allow project meetings to be held online; Martel representatives were present to

all meetings and provided partners with a video recording of each meeting conducted online.

1.2.9 Work package 9: Ethics requirements

The objective is to ensure compliance with the 'ethics requirements' set out in this work package.

Centrocot

Centrocot drawn up the deliverables



DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES PERIOD 1 (EVENTS)

No Venue Category

Date, Place (if

applicable) Type of Audience

Approx size of

Audience

Countries

Addressed Partner

1 World Circular

Economy Forum

2019

Project presentation 3 – 5 June 2019

Helsinki

(FINLAND)

Innovators, Researchers,

Policy makers

2,200 World Centrocot,

University of

Bergamo,

Martel

2 Première Vision Project presentation 17 – 19

September 2019

Paris

(FRANCE)

Industry, Customers,

Distributors, Journalists

5,000 Europe Centrocot

3 Ecomondo 2019 Project

presentation, Booth

5 - 9 November

2019

Rimini (ITALY)

Industry, Customers,

Distributors, Journalists,

Researchers

1,000 Europe Centrocot

4 LIFE Platform

Meeting on

Chemicals

Project presentation 27 - 28

November 2019

Vilnius

(LITHUANIA)

Industry, Journalists,

Researchers

80 Europe Centrocot

5 HEIMTEXTIL

2020

Press Release for

journalists

7 – 10 January

2020

Frankfurt

(GERMANY)

Customers, Distributors,

Journalists

150 Europe Parà

6 AFIL Webinar

“L’Industria

Tessile di fronte

alla Circular

Economy”

Project presentation 02 October 2020

Online event

Industry, Researchers 50 Europe Centrocot



7 Plastic Circularity

Multiplier Virtual

Conference

Project

presentation,

specific results

presentation

15 October 2020

Online event

Industry, Researchers 300 Europe Centrocot

DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES PERIOD 1 (COMMUNICATION KPIs)

No Venue Category

Date, Place (if

applicable) Type of Audience

Approx size of

Audience

Countries

Addressed Partner

1 Project website Project website by November

2020

Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

2,500 World Martel

2 Social Media Twitter, LinkedIn

and YouTube

by November

2020


Academic, EC, SMEs

500 World Martel

3 Newsletter 1st REACT

Newsletter

October 2019 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

17 World Martel

4 Promotional

material

REACT Flyer November 2019 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

2,000 World Martel

5 Promotional

material

REACT Roll-up 1 November 2019 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

1,000 World Martel

6 Promotional

material

REACT Roll-up 2 November 2019 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

1,000 World Martel



7 Promotional

material

REACT Poster November 2019 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

1,000 World Martel

8 Promotional

material

“REACT Project

overview” Video

January 2020 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

170 World Martel

9 Newsletter 2nd REACT

Newsletter

January 2020 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

30 World Martel

10 Newsletter 3rd REACT

Newsletter

May 2020 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

50 World Martel

11 Promotional

material

“The REACT

Process” Video


Academic, EC, SMEs

90 World Martel

12 Newsletter 4th REACT

Newsletter


Academic, EC, SMEs

60 World Martel

13 Promotional

material

Engagement

Workshop

Advertising

campaign package

(2 Twitter Cards +

4 Web banners +

Press release)


Academic, EC, SMEs

5,200 World Martel

14 Promotional

material

Engagement

Workshop Video

Recording

November 2020 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

90 World Martel



15 Promotional

material

“REACT on

Euronews’

Business Planet”

November 2020 Researchers, Industry,

Academic, EC, SMEs

10 World Martel

15 Promotional

material

Press articles (29 -

several

publications, online

and offline) – Full

list available in

deliverable D7.2

June 2019 –

November 2020


Academic, EC, SMEs,

General Public

200,000 Europe Parà, Ghent

University,

Centrocot

Table 3: REACT Dissemination activities






Accepted Standardization Contributions

No Title Description of Contribution/Activity Website/Reference Standardisation

Body Partner



1.3 Impact

There are currently no deviations or updates to Section 2.1 of the DoA. All partners are working towards their respective stated goals.

The project has been working from month 1 to month 18 towards the Expected Impacts (EIs) specified in the DoA.

EI 1: Increased recycling rate and reduced landfill and incineration of secondary raw materials.

At present, the REACT project has highlighted the possibility of recovering and creating a 100% recycled yarn on waste from the industrial production process

before the application of finishing. This amount of waste produced by Parà is (add number) and is equivalent to ...% of the company's waste production. The

mechanical recycling process has confirmed that the percentage of post-fraying fibers that can be used to produce a yarn is at least 87.5%. This leads to a

reduction in the quantity of material destined for incinerators or landfills by…%. This figure can be increased by introducing in the mechanical recycling

process also the waste coming after the finishing application process (...% of the total waste), which in the absence of removal of the finishing requires the

introduction of a percentage of virgin material still to be establish to make spinning possible. Tests on this waste will be further investigated after the finish

removal process. Considering a production of acrylic waste of 7700 tons / year (proposal data), REACT can currently reach a recycled material rate for acrylic

of ...%

EI 2: Increased purity and quality of secondary raw materials, reduced risk of retaining hazardous substances in recycled materials.

The finishing removal process developed so far has resulted in the removal of between 92 - 99% of finishes from the fabric treated at the laboratory level.

The potential of the process at an industrial level must be investigated. Assuming the same removal rate, the final product that can be sent to the market will

have a high purity since most of the substances will be removed. A further improvement of the purity of the final product will be due to the possible introduction

of virgin material, useful for the processing phases and to obtain a material that has the performance required by the market.

EI 3: Environmental impacts.

The project has developed an LCA study on virgin fabric, thus highlighting the most problematic spots for the environment in the production of acrylic fabric.

These hot spots will be investigated to reduce impacts by introducing a recycling process.

The proposal mainly refers to CO2, so a mention of the results could be useful.

EI 4: The implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the 7th Environment Action Programme.



The project has developed a management and recovery system for pre-consumer end-of-life material, is developing a process for recycling which at present

has led to the production of a 100% recycled yarn deriving from the recycling of pre-consumer before application of finishing. A recommendation document

for industrial waste management was disclosed giving indications for a post-consumer management and recovery plan with fabric rental services with

replacement of the same at the end of its life, which can introduce circularity systems in the sector. The recycling system will be implemented in order to

reduce the waste of material, substances and energy. The waste water deriving from the chemical removal process will be analyzed and a recovery plan will

be created for the substances used where possible, and a partial recovery of the chemicals used for finishing if not too degraded, the resulting waste will be

removed from the water in order to create a circularity on the use of water resources.

EI 5: The Commission Strategy on Plastics in a Circular Economy

The REACT project has developed an NIR-based chemometric method capable of identifying the finishes present on the acrylic fabric. This predictive model

addresses the lack of information on the possible presence of chemicals of concern which creates a significant obstacle to achieving higher recycling rates,

making chemicals easier to classify in waste streams and simplifying treatment or removal, ensuring a high level of health and environmental protection. NIR

spectroscopy is widely used for the classification and separation of plastics in automated systems, the introduction of the chemometric model makes this

process more precise. In fact, the peculiarity of the chemometric model is the possible expansion of its functions to different fibers, mixtures and substances

present on the fabric, implementing a better separation process that increases recycling rates.

The results of this model were disclosed by the consortium within a public deliverable (D1.3) and during the first project webinar.

EI 6: Implementation of the SPIRE PPP Roadmap

The LCA methodology as applied within the project framework is already based on the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and could

serve as a screening assessment for the outdoor furniture or for acrylic products. The hotspots identified within the analysis can provide a first

example of application for further developing dedicated rules to assess the environmental performance of these type of products.

Similar considerations can be made over the EU Ecolabel. The analysis carried out within the REACT framework could support the development

of criteria dedicated to outdoor furniture, especially when dealing with the use of chemicals and the material recycling/recycled content.



2 UPDATE OF THE PLAN FOR EXPLOITATION AND DISSEMINATION OF RESULT

During the first half of the project REACT organized the Engagement Workshop - MS9 planned for M12 and postponed to M17 (October 2020) - which was

conducted as an online Webinar entitled “Sustainable circular economy: Removing finishing chemical products from acrylic textile” due to the COVID-19-

related challenges.



3 UPDATE OF DATA MANAGEMENT PLAN

This project has elected to participate in the Open Research Data Pilot. This first version of D1.1 Data Management Plan describes the project’s policy and

practices regarding the provision of Open Access to each of the public deliverables, presentations, and scientific publications it will produce. There has been

no change to the Data Management Plan.



4 FOLLOW-UP ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS REVIEW

There are no recommendations or comments due to the fact that the project is in the first review period.



5 DEVIATION FROM ANNEX 1

5.1 Use of Resources

Work effort of all participants in different work packages are shown in the below table.

USE OF PMs IN PERIOD M1-M18

Partner WP1 WP2 WP3 WP4 WP5 WP6 WP7 WP8 WP9 Total

CENTROCOT 9,01 25,23 1,70 1,05 2,77 4,05 2,76 6,47 0 53

Ghent

University 9.07 16.19 0 0 0 0 0.17 0.08 0 25.52

CETI 0

PARA’ 13,8 0 0,11 0,32 0,59 0,56 2,26 1,45 0 19.09

Soft Chemicals 0

Jak Spinning 0

Martel 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,58 1,01 0 6.59



Justification for the main deviations are listed below:

Ghent University

WP1: More PMs were spent than planned (9.07 instead of 6 PMs), due to the choice of personnel having

a lower seniority and lower qualification for the laboratory work, resulting in an increased number of

person months, but without an impact on the budget. More start-up time was needed for the personnel,

but the same level of quality of the work was obtained for the same budget.

WP2: There was a three-month delay in the achievement of milestone MS3 due to COVID-19, due to

closure of laboratories during lockdown. An extension of WP2 is asked with 5 months (from month 27

to month 32) to compensate for these COVID-19 delays. This will give more time to finish the tasks of

this WP in a correct manner. As the necessary lab-scale results are obtained to start pre-industrial scale-

up, this extension will not have any impact on the other WPs. Ghent University will cover this extension

by personnel costs not used during the first term and a slight transfer of other direct costs to personnel

costs.

periodical technical report

Documents