On 27 November, the MERLIN project reached a significant milestone with its Final Conference, a hybrid event titled “Multilayer Recycling Solutions”. This key gathering showcased the project’s achievements, focusing on innovative solutions for recycling multi-layer plastic packaging and advancing the circular economy. The event successfully combined in-person and online participation, bringing together 97 attendees, including prominent external speakers such as representatives from the European Commission, the CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency, and Plastics Europe.

The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, such as policymakers, waste management companies, recyclers, packaging manufacturers, technology developers, researchers, and municipal representatives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A special session focused on projects from the Circular Plastics Cluster, giving participants an opportunity to explore initiatives addressing similar challenges. Attendees also visited the MERLIN Showroom, where the project’s developed technologies were showcased and demonstrated, followed by a tour of the ITENE laboratories, where much of the project’s development work took place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To foster networking and collaboration, a matchmaking platform was implemented, enabling participants, both in person and online, to connect, exchange ideas, and explore potential partnerships.

The conference was not only a chance to celebrate the outcomes of the MERLIN project but also a moment to reflect on the advancements made in recycling multi-layer plastics. The high engagement and insightful discussions among attendees emphasized the importance of continued innovation and cooperation in driving forward a more sustainable, circular approach to plastics.

All the speakers’ presentations are available for download below, providing valuable insights shared during the event and supporting ongoing learning and collaboration among stakeholders.

PRESENTATIONS:

The MERLIN project in a nutshell – César Aliaga (ITENE)

Plastics flows and circularity in Europe – Almut Reichel (European Environment Agency)

Business models to promote reusable plastic packaging – Aziz Aldureid (AIMPLAS)

Increasing the Recyclability and Circularity of Plastic Packaging – Lessons from Good Practices – Ahmad Hafiz (CSCP)

Delamination: technologies for the separation of packaging layers of  rigid packaging, non-metalized film packaging and metalized film packaging – Francisco Sánchez (ITENE)

Navigating the Challenges of the Plastic Packaging Legislation – Valeria Masci (EuPC)

A circular multilayer plastic approach for value retention of end-life multilayer films – Vanessa Gutiérrez Aragonés (AIMPLAS)

Demonstrators: New packaging from multilayer packaging waste – Silvia Oliver (ITC Packaging)

The road ahead: bringing MERLIN innovations to the market – Giuseppe Salvio (ENCO)

Economic, environmental and social performance of the new technologies – Luka Dobrovic (PARTICULA Group)

REDOL Project – Cecilia Chaine (CIRCE)

Automated SORTING system for multi-layer material sorting – María del Mar Blanes (IRIS)

Development of RECYCLING processes for the separated fractions and monomers – Jesper van Berkel, Ashwin Briedjlal, Wout Fornara (INDORAMA)

European Packaging Regulation: a paradigm shift – César Aliaga (ITENE)

R3PACK Project – Manon Bessone – (RE)SET

SOLREC2 Project – Adrián Morales (AIMPLAS)