Circular Economy (New)
Biotechnological recycling supports a circular product life cycle
The automotive industry is undergoing a transition to e-mobility, with a focus on sustainability including emissions reduction. In addition to optimized material sourcing, the circular economy contributes to minimizing environmental impact.
The cornerstone of the circular economy is effective, comprehensive recycling. To date, this remains one of the greatest challenges for the global rubber industry, including in automotive applications. Biotechnological recycling offers great potential in this regard. This technology is being developed in the joint project “BioReNa” by Vibracoustic, Freudenberg Technology Innovation, and ASA Spezialenzyme – enabling the effective reprocessing of rubber waste. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is also funding this project on biotechnological recycling.
In the “BioReNa” process, vulcanized, shredded rubber is treated with enzymes that impart new functionality to the rubber’s surface. This creates valuable material that can be reused for new rubber compounds and products. By recycling waste, Vibracoustic plans to reduce the carbon footprint of its new products and the amount of waste generated during the production process. These are the benefits of a circular product and material life cycle.
