The UTILE project participated in the Workshop on Sustainable Polymers and Circular Economy of Plastics (SusChem24), held in Ischia, Italy. During the event, Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) presented a poster outlining the project’s objectives, methodologies, and technological developments aimed at improving the sustainability and recyclability of materials used in Soldier Personal Equipment (SPE).
The workshop brought together PhD students, researchers, and academic experts working on advanced solutions for polymer sustainability and circular economy approaches. This highly technical environment provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge on emerging strategies for improving the recyclability of plastics and composite materials.
Among the key topics discussed were innovative approaches to polymer recycling beyond traditional industrial methods. Several contributions explored chemical recycling through depolymerization processes capable of generating new high-performance polymers, as well as research focused on improving the recyclability of thermoset materials through technologies such as Covalent Adaptable Networks (CAN).
Participation in the workshop confirmed that the research directions explored within the UTILE project—particularly the development of more sustainable and recyclable bio-based resins—are well aligned with current scientific trends in polymer science. The event also provided valuable opportunities for dialogue with the academic community and for disseminating the project’s approach to advancing circular solutions in the defense sector.
