Austria: Multiple actors across the Austrian insulation, construction and environmental management sectors have launched a nationwide expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling pilot. Initiative leader Fraunhofer Austria Research aims for the project, entitled EPSolutely, to establish a circular economy for EPS insulation based on its on-site collection service. Participants include insulation producers Austrotherm, Hirsch Porozell and Steinbacher Dämmstoff. The Kleine Zeitung newspaper has reported that the service provides reuseable bags and manages workflows via an app. The pilot will conclude in December 2024, with the outcomes informing a possible industrial-scale roll-out. Insulation producers have reportedly invested in new separation equipment to meet the requirements of the materials.
Steinbacher Dämmstoff head of research and development Maximilian Bernard said "The biggest challenge is the varying quality of the material delivered. The differences range from different colours to different raw materials such as extruded polystyrene (XPS) to various foreign substances such as screws and plaster residues. Despite these differences, a consistent quality of the new EPS panels must be guaranteed."
