Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry University of Pisa

Macromolecular Science
Group coordinated by Prof. F. Ciardelli

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MINUTES OF THE KICK-OEF MEETING OF THE EC CRAFT PROJECT

BRST-CT-98-5473

Recycling in the industrial process of leather industry by-products
Bruxelles, 07 June 1999

Attendees:
Or A Piavaux, EC (Belgium)
Dr J. Adzet, AIICA (Spain), representing also Industrias BERTRAN (Spain)
Dr.M. Bada, ELKEDE (Greece), representing also I. TSILIAS & Co and F. KOFINADELIS-K. TSEREPIS (Greece)
Or. E. Marcacci, ALPA (Italy)
Dr. Martinho, CTIC (Portugal), representing also MARSIPEL and PELTECI (Portugal)
Dr. G. Ghimenti, STUDIO DELTA (Italy), representing also CARASCO and ENOITALIA (Italy)
Prof. F.Ciardelli, University of Pisa (Ita1y), representing also ENEA (Italy)
Mr.G. Kokkinos, KOKKINOS (Greece)
At the last moment Dr A.Crispim (IPP/ISEP) sent His apology for not being able to attend.

1. INTRODUCTION

The Meeting was started at 11,00 am with a welcome to the participants by E. Ciardelli and A. Piavaux; then Ciardelli described synthetically the main objectives of this project and the respective role of SMEs and of RTD Performers. He reminded that the present CRAFT Project is generally aimed to show the presence of valuable material in the tannery by products and to test the possibility of insulation at industrial level. Successively A. Piavaux presented himself, his scientific background very compatible with many scientific and technical aspects of the programme and his role in connecting the activity of the partners with the EC administration.

2. PRESENTATION OF THE TECHNICAL WORK PROGRAMME

As the starting material to work with is based on industrial waste, the discussion was initially focused on the concern of RTD Performers about its origin and characteristics. Standing the present impossibility of standard samples, as the waste produced by tanneries is not constant in composition and macroscopic properties, and the difficulty of obtaining detailed information about its origin, it was agreed that any sample has to be characterized by combining available information and direct analysis on it. As the analytical characterization can be very complex and expensive for RTD Performers it was recommended that the level and type of this analysis had to be adjusted to the essential information related to the planned application of the recovered useful materials and compounds. In this way the concept of quality control was related to the application.
It was also recommended, on the basis of this conclusion, that by-products samples originated in the different areas were circulated to all RTD Performers in order to establish correlation between waste characteristic and convenience of each of the proposed recovery process and at the same time provide territorial features at European level.
Successively the discussion was moved to examine the single task and the related planning in the first quarter of the project programme.

TASK 1: Fats and protein recovery from fleshing scraps

1.1 Fertilizers
J. Adzet indicated a clear way of action based also on literature and direct experience; hi was particularly asking samples of adequate quantity for the experimentation.
1.2. Animal food
A. Martinho described a situation as above confirming that the main problem is to check the presence of possible toxic compounds in the waste.
1.3. Beauty culture
The University of Minho will be contacted and informed; they should submit a short draft related to this application.

TASK 2: Microbial treatment of fleshing for enzyme production

M. Balta informed that different fleshing products will be homogenized mechanically and submitted to fermentation in the solid state and depending from the results also under different conditions (liquid treatment, etc).
Isolated enzyme rich products will be compared to commercial enzymes for biological activity. Application in the tanning process (soaking, degreasing, deliming) is planned but other application are not excluded and are under consideration.

TASK 3: Industriai application of tannery fats

E. Marcacci reported about the investigation done concerning fats sulphi-and sulphonation to improve their hydrophilic character. Unfortunately fats, recovered in rather pure state, are generally saturated and to not react in the planned conditions. It is planned to overcome the problem by transesterification with oleic acid and glycerol to introduce economically a certain amount of unsaturations. Also it was clarified that this process is substantially independent on the presence of minor impurities in the starting material.

TASK 4: Proteins recovery from hair

This and the successive task will start at the beginning of the second quarter, however both Adzet (subtask 4.1) and Martinho (subtask 4.2) emphasized to need of dray hair samples for applying to them recovery processes analogous to those used respectively in TASK I.

TASK 5: Melamines and aminoacid recovery from hair

G. Ghimenti indicated that the essential step will be based on the extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide. The related plant is under proper adaptation and should be ready during the second quarter for preliminary experimentation.

TASK 6: Final data processing and conclusion

E. Ciardelli anticipated that this will be an important part of the project and cooperation of all partners in producing their results and transferring information on time is essential.

3. ADMINISTRATIVE AMI) MANAGING ASPECTS

A. Piavaux reminded that the project started on 1 April, 1999 with the signature by the EC. The time for midterm and final report have therefore to be calculated accordingly considering that the project has 24 months total duration.
Also he indicated that my communication to him by any partner has be forwarded through the coordinator who is his only referent. Reports to be submitted by the coordinator must contain all essential information presented in a concise way; they must be short to allow prompt critical examination. Details will be reported in the reports by each partner, which will be attached to the coordinator report sent to the scientific EC officer. Reports must be submitted by the coordinator within two months after the formal expiration date. So all task leaders are requested to send their contributions to the coordinator not later than 15-20 days after the term fixed (formal expiration date).
As indicated in the contract, the 60% of the founds allotted by the EC were sent to the coordinator in these days and will be sent by him to the partners on the accounts they have indicated. The rest of the money (up to the 90% of the total amount) will be paid by the EC on the basis of the indications reported in the cost statements of each task leader submitted by the Coordinator with the midreport. The final 10% will be paid only after the final report has been approved.
After this last presentation the scientific officer and the coordinator answered some questions by the participants aimed to clarify the methodology of future technical and administrative interactions.
The meeting was closed at 3.30 pm.
The next partners meeting is preliminarily proposed to take place on 25 Sept 1999 in Greece; date, schedule and location will be confirmed in due time to all partners and to the scientific officer of the EC.

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