about core
Why do we do it?
In 2016 alone, 44.7 million metric tonnes of e-waste were generated, which is the equivalent of 4500 Eifel towers. This is expected to grow to 52.2 million metric tonnes by the end of 2021, with an annual growth rate of 3 to 4%. Only 20% of this is supposed to be collected and recycled, the other 80% is not documented and very likely to be dumped, traded or recycled under inferior conditions.
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This huge improperly treated waste stream does not only harm the environment but also the health of animals, including humans, that come in contact with it. There are about 60 different chemical elements present in e-waste streams that spread via water, air, soil, dust and food.
Some of these elements, like lead, mercury and cadmium, are very hazardous, especially for children, and can lead to irreversible cognitive deficits, behavioural and motor skill problems. Moreover, not properly recycling e-waste depletes our earth of very precious and rare materials like gold and platinum. This may not only lead to shortages, but also requires the continuous mining of new raw materials which is very hazardous and damaging to the environment. The United Nations University estimates raw materials retrieved from e-waste to be worth around €55 billion.
2015
THE NEXT GENERATION
2018
TEAM CORE STARTS
2006-2011
THE FIRST GENERATION
2018
IVER B.V.
2020
REVEAL CORE FOURNOS
CORE's history
In 2015 our founder Dirk joined this mission, by designing the first factory to implement our technologies as his high-school end project.
Our story started with the name Instituut Voor Elementaire Retractie, an institute focussed on finding a solution for industrial waste streams that are currently being dumped.
After joining university Dirk decided to create the first IVER spin-off together with his dad Gabby, IVER BV, an industrial application of CORE's technology.
At the same time Dirk founded CORE, the student team that would not only win the TU/e contest in its first year, but grow even further into the succes we all know.
To further grow the possibilities of CORE's technology, a test oven was built, named CORE Fournos, which is unique worldwide.
2021
START OF THE ZERO AGE PROJECT
We started a new cluster to educate the next generation about the importance of proper waste collection and the impacts it has on our society. The Zero Age cluster spread awareness within Technasium schools and provides real life challenges to the young engineers.
Our second installation is CORE TITAN, a battery shredder as a way to prevent battery fires. It won the prestigious price of Rabobank for the most sustainable innovation of 2022!
2022
REVEAL CORE MAGMA
Although CORE TITAN can be used as a measure for preventing battery fires, early detection of batteries has been considered crucial in waste recycling companies. Inspired by them, we started developing CORE TEMNOS, AI-based sorting system for battery detection in waste streams
2022
START OF HELIOS PROJECT
Avans, Fontys, Summa, TU/e, Tilburg University, and UVA
2022
REVEAL CORE TITAN
From that moment on the projects started piling, with Magma following in close, an oven that turns fly-ash into basalt tiles, boring but beautiful
2022
REVEAL TEMNOS
The glass and silicon used in solar panels is expensive, and extremely pure. Current processing methods simply shred the panels directly, so that particles of both are mixed. We need to do better.
That is where the Helios project comes in.
2023
CORE BECOMES OFFICIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
2023
FIRST PROTOTYPES OF TEMNOS
WORKING
Temnos works!
2023
VRM FAIR
During the Vision, Robotics and Motion fair in 2023 we showcased our prototype to the world! Visitors could try our installation with their own phone and see the result right away! Do you want to test our prototype?