The 3-year research project "SAFE RUBBER", funded by the European Commission as part of the Seventh Framework Program, was present at PLAST 2012 in an information booth in hall 11 hosting the RUBBER 2012 satellite show, entirely dedicate to the rubber industry. ASSOCOMAPLAST coordinates the project and is a member of the research consortium together with 12 others representing six European countries (Belgium, Italy, Latvia, Norway, United Kingdom, Spain): 4 trade associations, 4 SMEs, and 4 RTDs.
SAFE RUBBER aims at identifying and formulating innovative and ecological accelerators used in the production of synthetic rubber.

Launched in mid-2010, the project seeks to develop a molecule able to replace polychloroprene-based ethylene thiourea (ETU), a vulcanization accelerator used in the production of synthetic rubbers, in its planned three-year lifecycle.