Vinavil is participating in the circular economy project CROSS LIFE, funded by the European Community, which involves integrated management of sewage sludge. The organic matter contained in municipal and industrial wastewater (WWTS) becomes the raw material for the synthesis of bio-based chemicals. The ultimate goal is to decrease the volume of sludge to be treated at the end of its life and to exploit the sludge as a raw material to produce bio-based crotonic acid and its poly(vinyl acetate-co-crotonic acid), instead of using fossil sources. Crotonic acid, currently 100 percent fossil-based, is used by Vinavil in the production of adhesives.
Together with Vinavil, companies (B-Plas, Unigrà and AqA) and universities (UniBo, UniPV) are participating in the project; two DEMO plants (capable of processing 1,000 t/y of WWTS) are planned to be built, which will allow a reduction in the volume of WWTS (about 70-80%) and will produce a few tons a year of crotonic acid of biological origin. Vinavil will use the bio-based crotonic acid to produce poly(vinyl acetate-co-crotonic acid) during (and after) the project, benefiting from the introduction of a new bio-based monomer to its polymer portfolio.
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