The efficient recycling of laminated glass waste is challenging, and requires of a technological approach to be properly addressed. Such type of glass is obtained by bonding glass layers using a polymeric interlayer and Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) as one of the widest used materials for this application. In the EU, the laminated glass waste, only from the renovation and demolition sectors, achieves more than 1.5 million of tons per year, which accounts ~0.9 million of tons of landfilled waste every year. A significant part of this waste consists of the interlayer PVB material, and up until now, only 9 % of all post-consumed PVB is recycled. The efficient recycling of PVB faces several difficulties related to the unknow compositions and optical degradation level of the of interlayer polymers.

In this direction, the main goal of the SUNRISE project was to develop an innovative optical multisensor sorting tool using spectroscopic techniques and AI algorithms that allowed optimal on-line classification of laminated glass waste with respect to composition and degradation level of PVB interlayer. The Solar Energy Materials and Systems (SEMS) Department, at IREC, was one of the leading partners in achieving this goal by developing methodologies and sensors that facilitated the evaluation of the degradation level and chemical composition of the PVB interlayers inside the laminated glass waste. IREC, in collaboration with LENZ Instruments company, has implemented, installed and validated the multisensor sorting tools in two demo sites: i) in pilot line for recycling of laminated glasses in LUREDERRA Technological Centre (Spain); ii) in recycling plant of the DISMECO SRL company (Italy).

The successful implementation of the project tasks allowed to demonstrate the possibility to implement an on-line system for sorting the laminated glass waste, opening a door for efficient and smart recycling of the high valuable PVB polymer for further application in different industrial sectors. The latter, successful application of the recycled PVB for laminated glasses, batteries, textile and photovoltaics, was demonstrated by different project partners during the final project meeting.

The SUNRISE consortium is formed by 20 European partners including L’urederra (project coordinator), and researchers from the SEMS Department at IREC, led by Dr. Maxim Guc together with Dr. Victor Izquierdo, and the engineers Rafael Mayer and Fernando Miranda.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s H2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 958243.