Innovative circular solutions for end-of-life footwear through collection, sorting and recycling

Expected outcome

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• all relevant stakeholders, including consumers, economic and social economy operators and waste managers, have an improved understanding of the technical, environmental, economic and social challenges and benefits to circularity in the footwear industry;
• economic operators and waste managers are provided with evidence-based, innovative, cost-effective, and scalable solutions that improve the management of end-of-life footwear products, valorise post-consumer footwear waste materials and increase the circularity of the value chain;
• consumers have access to user-friendly solutions to correctly dispose of end-of-life footwear, thus reducing landfill, improving sustainability practices, supporting them in making more conscious choices, and contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation by reducing waste and promoting circular economy practices.

Scope

The transition to a circular economy requires innovative solutions to manage end-of-life products, including footwear, which can have significant environmental and climate impacts if landfilled and not properly collected, sorted, and recycled. In line with the EU's ambitious circular economy targets and policies, such as the Waste Framework Directive and the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, this topic aims at improving the circularity of the footwear value chain and reducing the environmental footprint of end-of-life post-consumer footwear, whilst promoting a more regenerative and restorative approach to the footwear value chain.

Proposals should:

• assess the technical, environmental, economic and social challenges and benefits linked to the transition of the footwear industry towards circularity, particularly in the collection, sorting and recycling of post-consumer footwear waste;
• develop and test new methods and technologies that facilitate the collection, sorting, preparation for reuse and recycling of post-consumer footwear products, integrating digital tools (including AI) and the use of the Digital Product Passport to enable reuse and recycling, and minimise the release of hazardous chemicals and microplastics during the recycling process; 
• explore and develop innovative business models that enable the transition towards a circular and sustainable footwear value chain, promote the uptake of design for preparing for reuse and recycling, enable the development of take-back solutions and stimulate informed consumer choices and sustainable consumption patterns;
• develop and test innovative solutions that facilitate the collaboration between the relevant stakeholders, including footwear manufacturers, retailers, consumers and waste managers, to ensure the effectiveness and uptake of the proposed solutions, including strategies for managing hazardous chemicals and microplastics in footwear waste.

Successful proposals should bring together all relevant stakeholders active in the footwear value chain, namely industry representatives, SMEs, brand owners, producers, retailers, local authorities, waste managers, economic operators, consumer organisations, researchers, and NGOs.

The topic supports EU policies, particularly the European Green Deal, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and its working plan, as well as the zero pollution action plan. The proposed solutions should also be consistent with the Waste Framework Directive, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, the Clean Industrial Deal and the EU Circular Economy Act, supporting Europe’s efforts to develop a single market for sustainable products.

This topic requires the effective contribution of SSH disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.