Innovation Exchange Challenge: Valorisation of paint waste from vessel and equipment cleaning

Background

PPG is a global manufacturer and supplier of paints, coatings and speciality products. With operations in over 70 countries, PPG has an international portfolio of brands for a wide range of industrial and trade applications, including Johnstone’s, Sigma, and Tikkurila.

Across PPG’s architectural manufacturing facilities in the UK and EU, a significant portion of waste is generated by the cleaning of production vessels and filling equipment. This waste is made up of water and water-based coatings, which are treated onsite through flocculation and dewatered through a filter press or centrifuge, generating a solid residue cake. The solid residue is managed through appropriate waste disposal methods, while the filtrate is treated as wastewater through an effluent treatment process.

PPG is looking for a circular, sustainably advantaged solutions for the solid waste, which will support its enterprise goals to reduce waste by 2030 by diverting 100% of this material waste away from waste disposal facilities. Addressing this topic may contribute to resolving broader global waste challenge within the industry.

The Challenge

PPG is looking for solutions for the valorisation of the vessel cleaning waste stream to benefit other industries as a substitute for virgin materials. The filter cake is produced throughout the year and is a guaranteed supply, and the primary focus is for sustainable and circular solutions for the use of the filter cake in other industries.

Ideally Solutions Should Be TRL 6 Or Above And Deployable For Field Tests Within Two Years Of The Competition And Commercially Deployable By 2028. However PPG Is Open To Earlier Stage Ideas That Have Quick Routes To Scale-up And Deployment. Proposed Solutions Should Consider

• the valorisation of the filter cake,
• the cake properties and the properties and processes required to meet the needs of end user industries and applications
• opportunities to extract and valorise other valuable components from the cake, which could serve as a resource for various industrial applications
• sustainability metrics
  
  

PPG has previously explored the potential use of the cake but has faced challenges due to the physical properties of the cake. The specific details of the filter cake are proprietary: links to relevant literature are given on the Innovation Exchange site at the link below.

Eligibility

This IX Is In The Foundation Industries And Supply Chains Challenges. Due To The Nature Of This Challenge And The Funding Support Available, There The Following Eligibility Criteria

• Entrants to this competition must be a UK registered business.
• Entrants can only apply to one of the Foundation Industries and supply chains challenges.
  
  

Rewards & Market Opportunity

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to PPG. The winning applicant, as selected by the company, will then be eligible to apply for £25,000 grant funding to kickstart the development of the proposed solution through a 3-month project. Selected solutions will be provided access to more specific data on cake analysis and samples (subject to NDA). Initial work will be conducted based on the cake samples from an EU site with potential adoption of the solution it trials are successful. A PPG site visit could also be arranged.

The solution has potential to be deployed / adapted at an initial EU site. A successful implementation of a solution could lead to future opportunities to work with PPG across other UK, EU and global facilities.

The benefits package for a successful applicant may also include:

• Support from Innovate UK Business Connect.
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot.
• Technical support.
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK Business Connect events.
• A potential business collaboration.
• Investor introductions (if investment is required).
• Support if any Innovate or similar competitions are relevant.
  
  

For technical and operating requirements, assessment criteria, and further information, visit the Innovation Exchange site at the link below.

Find out more and apply