Trash to cash: How SWESTEP gives plastic waste a new life

Posts 09 Oct 2017

People all over the world are throwing out large quantities of plastic each year, representing a huge sustainability issue. SWESTEP aims to address this by converting household plastic waste into sustainable oil and new plastic raw materials.

Over the past year, the Swedish green tech company has been working closely with Climate-KIC and the City of Copenhagen to carry out a feasibility study on the conversion of plastic waste to new sustainable oil. Since being established in 2012, SWESTEP has been developing an industrial process capable of turning all hydrocarbon-based waste and residues, such as plastic, into renewable fractions. In practical terms, this means that any organic waste stream can be considered as a feedstock, and duly be transformed into a wide range of renewable fuels or useful sustainable liquids and materials to be used again.

In theory, this process could have huge implications for how we deal with plastics, as well as waste management in general, as it could lead to the establishment of major circular economy loops into a city’s ecosystem, provide new sources of renewable energy, and create new revenues and jobs—effectively converting what was previously considered waste into a resource. One key aspect of SWESTEP’s technology is that the feedstock doesn’t require separating prior to processing, meaning mixed waste streams are just as effectively processed as sorted ones. This contrasts wildly with the status quo, in which mixed waste streams require appropriately sorting before the separate elements can be recycled.

Creating industrial inputs from waste plastic for industries that typically require fossil-based fuels or petrochemicals for major parts of their operations doesn’t just represent a welcome remedy to the problem of municipal waste, it also embodies potential to reduce the consumption of fossil-fuels and thus, contributes to climate change mitigation.

Given what was on offer, it’s easy to understand why Copenhagen was interested in a potential collaboration. Per Boesgaard, coordinator of the city’s Climate Plan 2025, had this to say:

“Waste management, and particularly plastic waste management, has represented a huge problem for the city for a long time. Plastic is now a large part of people’s daily lives, yet it represents a huge environmental problem with regards to both the consequences of its disposal and its carbon footprint.

Our challenge [as the City of Copenhagen] is to manage this problem holistically, which means solving the environmental issues without disrupting the day-to-day of our citizens. Thus, participating in projects such as this and collaborating with pioneering companies like SWESTEP to investigate the potential of their technology is both necessary and exciting for us as a city. We are very pleased with the outcome of this project and look forward to working more with SWESTEP and Climate-KIC in the future”.

In July 2016, the City of Copenhagen, SWESTEP, NISA, Copenhagen Airports, and other partners, took part in “Trash to Cash” a Climate-KIC Pathfinder project aiming to confirm if their “turnkey technology” can make a positive impact to the city’s plastic waste challenge. After testing the process on a batch composed of plastic and biomass, the feasibility study confirmed that both the feedstock, the technology, and the process were viable. Karl-Magnus, CEO of SWESTEP, had this to say about the process:

“I am delighted with the results because we can now show that SWESTEP can use our process to recycle a mixed organic MSW feedstock that includes plastics. We already are planning for further tests on other special feedstocks to evaluate their economic potential.

The outputs of the process can be used as an environmentally sound substitute for fossil fuels and thus, the municipality waste can end up being recycled into a whole range of things, such as new textiles, new plastics, medicines, renewable diesel, and jet-fuel. I am also proud that we have proved we can make a difference in waste management processes whilst also being an asset to the energy sector. Through our process, we can create new jobs, new industries, and new revenue streams for the city municipalities—all in an environmentally and climate-friendly way”.

Martin Poesgaard, Director of NISA, the Nordic Initiative for Sustainable Aviation is optimistic about the process: “With the results of this feasibility study we can see that it is possible to convert the waste plastic residues to a new oil. We [at NISA] find it quite remarkable as it occurs at relatively low temperature and without pressure setting. Our hope is that the oil produced can be further processed into a sustainable jet fuel as if possible, this could represent a major breakthrough in our efforts to make the aviation industry more sustainable”

SWESTEP will now proceed with additional documentation and analysis of the technology and the end products. Now, the goal is to find industrial partners and investors as well as involvement from the public and the government. SWESTEP is very optimistic about this and sees the solution as an important and low-cost contribution to the circular economy and environmental improvements.

Trash to Cash was a Pathfinder project funded by Climate-KIC’s Innovation Pipeline. Aimed at Climate-KIC partners, Pathfinder projects help innovators test, refine and confirm assumptions about their innovation ideas, so that they are suitably developed to be applied and implemented. They typically last between three to six months, and can receive funding from Climate-KIC up to a maximum grant of €50,000. If you would like to know more about Trash to Cash project, please contact Peter.Vangsbo@climate-kic.org.

Berlin Climathon: waste reduction and sustainable mobility

In The News 17 Nov 2016

Berlin is often cited as one of Europe’s cleanest cities: but that doesn’t mean that there is not plenty of work that needs to be done in order to make the German capital more climate friendly.

In Berlin, the Climathon challenges focused on waste and transportation, both of which are common global issues that largely contribute to pollution. In Berlin, there are six different fractions of waste at household level- recovered paper, glass waste, recyclable fraction (plastics, metals and composite packaging etc.) biowaste and residual waste. While the quality of recycling is good, the way that it is collected is far from being sustainable; with six different kinds of waste, there are six different kinds of bins and six different vehicles that are required to pick up one one.

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On top of this, these vehicles will barely be on the street at the same time, as tours and working hours differ, and certain types of waste (such as paper and glass) are recycled privately, meaning that there are numerous waste companies circulating around Berlin at any one time. 

Together with our four main delivery partners, BSR (Berlin utilities), Veolia Germany, CHORA City & Energy and ZTG of the Technical University of Berlin, and Berlin Partner, the event kicked-off at 10:00 on the 28 October 2016 with an official introduction to the challenge areas. Throughout the event, three coaches were present and facilitated the teams in terms of skills training and team formation. They also made sure that the energy level remained high by integrating frequent energisers and out-of-the-building activities like a campus tour or a gymnastics/yoga session. In addition to this, more experts joined for various time-slots until after midnight in order to provide further thematic expertise and be available for content questions. After lunch on the first day, seven teams were formed and ready to start developing their own idea. At midnight it was time for the first (peer-to-peer) pitch in front of the other teams, the coaches, experts and the local Climathon team. Luckily, all participants stayed during the night and worked hard in their rooms apart from having short and well deserved power naps. After breakfast and some fresh cups of coffee or chai tea, it was time to rehearse the pitches and getting ready for the final presentations. Seven experts from the challenge area and from local Climate-KIC staff were present to give their individual feedback. 

While there was no official winner announced at the end of the 24hours, BSR have invited teams back to make further pitches in front of internal company experts at the end of this month, so that ideas can be fully implemented in the future. 

The Solutions

Meet the teams 

SBA- See-Believe-Act

One of the ways to secure a better future for the planet is to educate the young on how to be more sustainable. Team SBA have proposed creating an engagement programme for secondary school children. Within this programme, there will be a mentoring programme included that will implement the circular economy system at school. This will hopefully lead to a ‘zero-waste school’, which will in turn encourage more children to be less wasteful and more environmentally friendly for life. 

The Wasters

Perhaps the transport and logistics of waste collection would be improved if the bins had a ‘heber’ or lifting system built within them? And maybe an underground bin system could be implemented within each quarter; not only could this reduce traffic, but it would also serve a community function with someone who would consult and support local residents in being more sustainable. 

The Expendables 

No matter how full or empty your trash can is, the collection for it will come regardless. This means that even though your trash can may have plenty of room in it to last for another week, the waste disposal team will continue to release more emissions into the environment and waste time collecting it. However, according to The Expendables, what would fix this issue would be if bins used a sensor technique to determine how full or empty they are, which would allow waste management companies to arrange pick up times for them to save time and improve logistics, as well as reducing the amount of  emissions that they release. 

Perfect Trash 

A bit like The Expendables, Perfect Trash has identified that one of the issues with waste collection is that bins are being collected regardless of how full they are. Perfect Trash also recognised that other issues with waste collection is that bins are very noisy and the routes can take a very long time to complete due to surrounding traffic and obstacles. The team propose that bins should be redesigned to make them quieter, and they should come with an ‘on demand’ pick up system so that half empty bins can be avoided. Further to this, the team feel as though trees should act as barriers for more traffic; this will increase the speed of waste pick up as it will allow services to avoid parked cars and bins will have a clear space to be collected from. 

Move A BIT

Trying to get people out of private cars and onto bikes can be tricky, especially when they are stuck in their old habits. Move A BIT plan on making a bike hub and cycling app for the 50+ generation as a social innovation project to foster use of bikes in the city. 

MOaskateer

Team MOaskateer think that one way of encouraging more people to use bikes would be to create an interactive platform community that will hold regular competitions and learning workshops to promote the benefits of cycling. The platform would also have a reward system to support local retailers. 

Kommuting Koalas 

Sometimes, riding your bike to work can take a long time, which will inevitably put people off of doing it. But, Kommuting Koalas propose a more streamlined journey when you book your bike to work as an extension of the current NextBike app, this would be a seamless integration of public transport and bike sharing. 

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Climate-kic project funding

Apply for a grant

Open Calls

Call 1 2019 is now open for applications.

EIT Climate-KIC is looking to support ambitious initiatives with a clear pathway to positive climate impact, consistent with the Paris Agreement targets and our Climate Innovation Impact Goals.

There are 5 options when applying to this call. These run in parallel. The route you choose to apply through will be dependent on the country in which you/ your organisation reside, the content and aim of your project, and for innovation for the stage your project is at:

• Climate Innovation Ecosystems
• Earlier Stage Innovation
• Later Stage Innovation
• Education
• RIS

Funding available for these calls is for 2019 onward.

Open Calls

Funding available

Funding type

Grant

Project size – guidelines

Climate Innovation Ecosystems projects typically receive a maximum of €300,000 through EIT Climate-KIC annually, lasting 1-3 years

Earlier Stage projects can apply for an EIT grant up to €100,000 and last no more than 12 months

Later Stage Projects: There are no specific limits, these are typically €150,000 to €1 million and lasting up to 3 years

RIS Projects can apply for an EIT grant of up to €30,000 and last no more than 12 months

Education varies per programme, please see the call for proposals guidance for details on what funding is available based on eligible project costs per programme.

Funding Available

EIT Climate-KIC has already commissioned many Partner-led projects for 2019 that are continuing from applications through previous calls. The Innovation portfolio currently compromises an EIT investment of €20 million, we will invest a further €20 million to fund innovation, education, and RIS projects in 2019. Co-funding rules are applicable per programme (see eligibility criteria) which leverages a total innovation investment considerably greater than €20million. This figure is approximate and subject to change based on the final agreement with the EIT.

The breakdown of EIT funding available through Call 1 2019 is as follows:

• €1 million Climate Innovation Ecosystems
• €7 million Earlier Stage Innovation
• €8 million Later Stage Innovation
• €1.5 million Education
• €2.5 million RIS

The important Bit

Deadlines

Regardless of the type of application you are preparing, the deadlines are:

31^st August                Call Opens

During this time, all applicants are strongly encouraged to speak to EIT Climate-KIC about the proposal that they are preparing.

31^st October               Call Closes

14^th December           Applicants notified of outcome

ELIGIBILITY

Who can apply?

To be eligible to receive funding for any of these calls you must be an EIT Climate-KIC Partner.

Non-EIT Climate-KIC Partners can apply to the call but will not be eligible to receive funding until they have Partner status. For more information on how to get this, please contact your local Climate-KIC office

For further eligibility criteria per programme, please consult the calls for proposals guidance document.

Any proposal submitted outside of Plaza will be deemed ineligible.

Apply

How to apply

To apply:

• register online in EIT Climate-KIC’s new grant management system Plaza
• read the call for proposals guidelines and relevant impact goal dossier(s)
• consider speaking to EIT Climate-KIC about the proposal that you are preparing
• complete your online application in Plaza

Please note that Plaza is only accessible to EIT Climate-KIC partners. Organisations/ individuals who are preparing a bid will need to contact your local Climate-KIC office before starting your application.

Further information

Find out more

For more information please consult the relevant call documents which can be accessed through Plaza. EIT Climate-KIC partners can access Plaza through the Partner Information Page. 

Unsure of what to do next? Contact us.