So how does this commitment translate into practice? “When it comes to the circular economy, the MATTER project is an excellent example,” Tine explains. “Large international firms with production sites in Flanders, such as Borealis, are teaming up with researchers from Ghent University, local waste processors and recyclers. Together, they aim to improve post-consumer plastic waste management. The results of MATTER will be essential for the further development of sustainable recycling solutions for a significant amount of waste which currently cannot be processed. Long term, the recycling knowledge gained from this project may also result in extra activities related to the processing of other plastic waste fractions.”
In addition, Catalisti facilitates projects that contribute to solving climate challenges. Specifically, the spearhead cluster is looking into biobased resources that can replace fossil fuels. Tine: “The Biovertol project does just that: Oleon, 3M, Proviron and Ecover partnered with the universities of Ghent and Leuven to develop branched alcohols based on biological raw materials – and with great success! So far, 9 patents have been requested and several applications have been commercialized and put into practice.”