ICEBERG will make significant advances in the uptake of the circular economy in the building industry through the development of innovative circular reverse logistics’ tools and high-value secondary raw materials production technologies to establish market confidence and acceptability of recycled End-of-Life building materials (EBM). ICEBERG aims to design, develop, demonstrate and validate advanced technologies for the production of high-purity secondary raw materials (>92%w) through 6 circular case studies (CCS) across Europe, covering circularity of wood, concrete, mixed aggregate, plasterboard, glass, polymeric insulating foams and inorganic superinsulation materials. ICEBERG will generate cross-cutting integrated smart solutions that encompass three innovative circular reverse logistics’ strategies: an upgraded BIM-aided-Smart Demolition tool; a novel digital EBM traceability platform; and Radio Frequency and QR based identification system. ICEBERG will develop novel technologies for the recovery of EBM, which include: hyperspectral imaging (HSI), machine-learning software and robotic manipulators to increase sorting efficiency of mixed aggregates; an integrated crushing, sorting and cleaning optimized system and fast pyrolysis and purification processes for wood fractions; thermal attrition mobile unit integrated with LIBS and carbonation for concrete; hydrocyclone combined with HSI sorting and acid purification to increase the purity of recycled plasterboard; a combined process of purification and solvolysis for polymeric insulating foams; advanced hydrothermal and supercritical based processing of glass and silica containing waste. Circular design solutions for greater circularity of EBM and production of innovative circular building products with high purity and recycled content (30% - 100%) will be also implemented. ICEBERG will generate in the mid-term an economic benefit of 1758 M€ and 6265 new jobs by 2030.

C-SERVEES aims to boost a resource-efficient circular economy in the electrical and electronic (E&E) sector through the development, testing, validation and transfer of new circular economic business models (CEBMs) based on systemic eco-innovative services that include: (1) eco-leasing of EEE, (2) product customization, (3) improved WEEE management, and (4) ICT services to support the other eco-services. ICT tools (relying on QR codes) will be developed as the driver of the proposed eco-innovative services to take full advantage of the potential and synergies of two major revolutions of our time: the circular economy and the Industry 4.0. The project will thus contribute to transform the E&E sector into circular and 4.0, raising new opportunities for end-users (such as their involvement in design or the access to a product as a service) and for social and solidarity economy (conducted by NGOs, like EMAUS, which employ people at risk of social exclusion to repair and prepare WEEE for re-use). The techno-economic, environmental and social viability of the new CEBMs will be validated through demonstrations dealing with four target products belonging to different EEE categories: large household appliances, IT equipment, telecommunications equipment, and consumer equipment. These EEE categories together account for 77% of WEEE collected in the EU. The project will result in an estimated economic benefit of 57.03 M€ over the period 2022-2026, which taking into account the project budget (8.03 M€) yields a ROI ~ 7.1. Specifically, the project will generate in the mid-term an economic benefit of 28.4 M€/year, with about 355 green employees (including direct and indirect jobs) and a total reduction of 2,620 tonnes CO2 eq/year. C-SERVEES (10 Member States and Turkey, including industry, end-users and researchers, ensures that strategic, design and implementation decisions) will be in line with business realities and set the foundation for realistic market-ready solutions.

The main objective of NANORIGO (NANOtechnology RIsk GOvernance) is to develop and implement a transparent, transdisciplinary and science-based Risk Governance Framework (RGF) for managing nanotechnology risks regarding social, environmental and economic benefits. A new risk management approach is formed based on available and new high-quality data and advanced scientific tools developed for industry and regulators decision-making, and on communication with all stakeholders (regulators, industries, politicians, the civil society). The RGF will use a life-cycle perspective and integrate available knowledge on ethical, social, environmental and economic concerns into a user-friendly format that can be easily adapted and transferred into regulation for hazard, exposure and risk assessment and management of nanomaterials. It will consist of: (i) risk management strategies based on reinforced tools for guidance and decision-making developed for risk assessment, (ii) validated methodologies to identify potential hazard and exposure, and (iii) a web-based information and communication platform to facilitate access to good quality data and a clear understanding of risks for all stakeholders, and their valuable feedback. The NANORIGO work plan consists of 8 work packages covering all major risk governance aspects. A self-sustained European Nanotechnology Risk Governance Council (NRGC) will be installed to implement the RGF, embedded in relevant international structures and in close cooperation with the International Risk Governance Center (IRGC). Case studies will demonstrate the sustainability of solutions and their consistent integration into regulatory applications under real conditions. Bringing all stakeholders together under a common umbrella will allow to share and integrate the most appropriate governance tools, frameworks and plans for future science and regulatory research and foster consistency of management approaches in the EU and synergies internationally.