News

Sustainable plastics containing flame retardants for use in closed-loop applications

Press release from 08.04.2025

The development of high-quality, halogen-free flame retardants (hffr) for recycled plastics to meet increasing recycling quotas is a major challenge. The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF is looking for partners for the new project "hffr-Up2Cycle". The main objective of this project is to upgrade PCR materials with halogen-free flame retardants (hffr) and to investigate these materials through the simulation of closed-loop processes for plastics containing flame retardants in the sections of electronics, automotive, construction and cable applications. The project is aimed at OEMs, manufacturers of plastic components, raw material suppliers, compound developers and industry associations.

to the press release on the project "hffr-Up2Cycle"

Sustainable circular economy for plastic and CFRP components: Kick-off for the BMBF project “CirProTech” at the OHLF

Press release from 07.04.2025

At the beginning of March, the third funding period commenced for the Open Hybrid LabFactory (OHLF) research campus, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In collaboration with Volkswagen, the Technische Universität Braunschweig, the Fraunhofer Center Circular Economy for Mobility CCEM, Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences and 35 further partners, practice-oriented and efficient solutions for a sustainable circular economy in the automotive industry are being developed at the OHLF within the scope of this funding phase. For this purpose, the BMBF is providing a funding volume of ten million euros, which will cover three major research projects and a duration of five years. A central component of this initiative is the “CirProTech” project, the kick-off meeting for which took place in Wolfsburg at the end of March.

to the press release on the project “CirProTech”

Successful premiere of the Circular Valley Convention 2025

Press release from 21.03.2025

On March 12 and 13, everything revolved around new solutions, ideas and developments for the realization of a circular economy: The Circular Valley Convention 2025 took place for the first time in Düsseldorf and brought together numerous interested parties from industry, research, politics and society. Messe Düsseldorf organized the event in collaboration with the Circular Valley Foundation and with scientific support from Fraunhofer UMSICHT, the lead institute of the Fraunhofer Cluster CCPE.

to the press release on the Circular Valley Convention 2025