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Project Code [2024-GCE-1271]

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Project title

Developing a Sustainable Biorefinery System for Textile Waste in Ireland

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Dublin City University (DCU)

Lead Applicant

Vijai Kumar Gupta

Project Abstract

The rate of textile waste generation worldwide has increased dramatically due to a rise in clothing consumption and production resulting in considerable economic, environmental, and social problems. The textile sector contributes to 10% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing volumes of textile waste are generated as cheaper clothes are consumed more frequently. This waste is usually landfilled or incinerated (75% of textile waste globally is dumped in landfill sites or burned and only 25% is recycled or reused) due to high recycling costs associated with clothing. By end 2030, 92 million tons of textile waste will have been created annually. As such, making progress in recycling and reuse technologies for transforming textile wastes from landfills is indispensable. There is a pressing need for closed-loop recycling of fabrics. In this vein, the European Waste Framework Directive (WFD), which requires that all EU Member States introduce separate collection systems for textiles by January 2025 (see European Parliament and Council, 2018) i.e. textiles must be kept separate from other categories of waste ‘by type and nature’ paves way for exploring the opportunities of textile waste valorisation. The RefineTEXT project is based on the key principle of the ‘circular economy’ focusing on sustainable, resource-efficient valorisation of textile waste streams in Ireland. It will convert textile waste into high-value-added platform chemicals - lactic acid (LA) and succinic acids (SA) using advanced pretreatment and bioprocess technologies. These platform chemicals will then be transformed into biobased polylactic acid (PLA)/polybutylene succinate (PBS) polymers/materials for applications back again in yarn, fabric, packaging and textile industries. Further, RefineTEXT will conduct environmental, social and economic assessment of the entire bioconversion process of textile waste (both existing end of life and proposed process of converting into value added products) to quantify the associated greenhouse gas emissions using life-cycle assessment methodologies. Exploring the textile waste generation landscape and identifying the relationship between the implementation of the related circular economy policies and legislation, and climate mitigation and adaption, pertaining to textile waste in Ireland RefineTEXT will develop a roadmap for repurposing circular material from textile waste for creating sustainable businesses. To effectively generate a comprehensive perspective on the opportunity of exploiting textile waste as a valuable resource, RefineTEXT has assembled a very strong interdisciplinary team from four Irish universities and expert/representatives/advisors from industry, innovation centre and NGO, balanced across discipline, expertise and gender. Leveraging partners’ knowledge, resources and relationships, RefineTEXT will build on prior state-of-the-art research and aim at delivering a number of novel outcomes, including 1) Innovative pretreatment technologies for textile waste, 2) efficient fungal cellulolytic enzymes bioprocess 3) Conversion of textile hydrolysates into high-value products (LA, SA, PLA and PBS), 4) Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions associated with textile waste and its valorisation. 5) Roadmap for decarbonisation of textile to reduce CO2 emissions. Thus, RefineTEXT will develop a first-of-a-kind textile biorefinery concept in Ireland to advance the diversification of the Irish textile waste management and recycling sector to deliver significant environmental, economic and societal benefits while supporting circular bioeconomy development.

Grant Approved

€659,875.00

Research Hub

Facilitating a Green and Circular Economy

Research Theme

Integration of the Circular Economy and Bioeconomy into climate and biodiversity measures

Start Date

31/03/2025

Initial Projected Completion Date

30/03/2029