Holoss - Project NEO-CYCLE

Project: NEO-CYCLE - UPCYCLING OF NdFeB MAGNETS IN THE EU FOR GREEN APPLICATIONS

Start: 01/09/2024 End: 31/08/2028

Project website: https://neo-cycle.eu/

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No. 101138058.

DESCRIPTION: Rare earth magnets from old hard disk drives pose a recycling challenge. These magnets contain valuable elements like neodymium, iron, and boron, but most end up in landfills. This not only wastes resources, but also creates environmental hazards. Recycling these magnets efficiently could help address both resource scarcity and pollution. To address this issue, the EU-funded NEO-CYCLE project will develop methods to upcycle these spent magnets into high-quality materials for industries like pharmaceuticals and fertilisers. By reaching a high level of technological readiness, the project will demonstrate effective separation and upcycling processes. It involves a broad range of stakeholders, including technology developers and commercial companies, to ensure that the solutions are practical and market-ready.

HOLOSS ROLE:

Environmental impacts of upcycling NdFeB magnets from hard disc drives are assessed through LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), identifying sustainability improvements under HOLOSS leadership.

HOLOSS uses Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodologies to evaluate the economic costs and financial viability of the upcycling processes, ensuring financial optimisation.

Social Life Cycle Assessment (s-LCA), which reinforces sustainability integration with HOLOSS expertise, measures the social impacts of the upcycling activities.