Brass Replacement Alloys Validation Operations (BRAVO)
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE Korrosion |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 880 000 |
| Project duration | October 2024 - June 2025 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Impact Innovation Metals & Minerals - Program-specific efforts Vinnova |
| Call | Impact Innovation: Feasibility studies within Technological Action Areas in the program Metals & Minerals |
Important results from the project
The long-term aim is to enable a sustainable transition to a lead-free brass industry. The project has identified 4 main challenges and developed a roadmap for the period 2025–2032. This roadmap has been reviewed by stakeholders in Sweden and Europe and forms the basis for 3 new project applications as well as companies’ own transition plans. The consortium has expanded, and Nordic collaboration has been strengthened to address shared challenges related to alloy properties and sustainability.
Expected long term effects
BRAVO contributes to a sustainable transition to a lead-free circular brass industry in Sweden. The plumbing sector must offer lead-free products by 2032, creating an opportunity to lead the development for other industries not yet subject to mandatory legislation. The project’s roadmap demonstrates how lead can be phased out without increasing the climate impact, while maintaining a circular industry. Sweden could become a hub for lead recycling in Europe thanks to promising technologies.
Approach and implementation
The project consisted of a consortium of 11 partners from across the brass industry´s value chain, including end users, authorities, and research institutes. Through workshops involving company experts and researchers, as well as interviews with European stakeholders, challenges and opportunities were identified. These were complemented by updated LCA calculations, material assessments, and various scenarios, resulting in the final version of the roadmap.