The Re-X Before Recycling Prize will award up to $5.6 million in federal funding and technical assistance from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories.
The prize stimulates innovation and private investment in circular economy approaches that can transform waste streams into diverse, integrated circular supply networks and contribute to a robust, environmentally sustainable economy.
Recycled paper for packaging – illustrative photo. Image credit: Alexandra Tran via Unsplash, free license
The prize seeks innovations to unlock new or expanded supply chains that reintegrate end-of-use products into the economy via re-use, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and/or repurposing (“Re-X”) before recycling.
Today, the U.S. manufacturing sector predominantly follows a linear production model in which raw materials are mined, transformed into manufactured goods, used, and discarded.
To fully decarbonize the U.S. economy, the country must create new, circular supply chains to keep materials in use beyond a single life cycle. And while recycling plays an important role in this circular economy, approaches that extend the lifetimes of goods could save more energy and emissions over time than recycling alone.
Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11 p.m. EET, March 12, 2024.
Source: Herox