Touchbase with the UPCYCLE project: Sustainable Plastic Biorefinery for recyclable and biodegradable packaging

Touch base with novel R&I projects working on bioplastics.

Today: the UPCYCLE project: Sustainable Plastic Biorefinery for recyclable and biodegradable packaging

Abstract: UPCYCLE aims to demonstrate novel circular value chains that transform non-recyclable mixed plastic waste currently into biodegradable and recyclable materials for packaging applications. Building on the promising results of the H2020 UPLIFT project, UPCYCLE addresses specific scalability hotspots to reach economic viability. The project scales up its novel plastic biorefinery and ecopolymers with a strategy that leverages: (1) A Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design framework to ensure safety (i.e. non-toxic materials), a reduction in GHG emissions (-30%), and economic viability (<40% selling price); (2) AI-powered fast-track innovation for process intensification; (3) A versatile biorefinery process to valorise mixed plastic waste (both fossil- and bio-based) and secondary biomass residues; (4) A smart polymerisation and formulation strategy using bio-based, degradable additives to tune biodegradability and enhance technical performance for four selected packaging use cases.
Leveraging a multidisciplinary consortium of top-tier academic institutions and industry leaders, UPCYCLE is poised to create a significant impact in the packaging industry. UPCYCLE’s ecopolymers, derived from plastic and biomass waste streams, promote a viable circular business model for European recyclers, polymer processors, compounders, and packaging producers. Moreover, our strategy demonstrates how renewable and upcycled building blocks and additives can be blended into commercially available polymers to deliver novel PHA-, PLA-, and Furan-based packaging formulations that successfully modulate degradability and technical performance, depending on the application. By providing tools to improve the properties and economic viability of polymer systems already on the market, we offer a fast-track pathway to impact. Read more on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upcycle-plastics

This is a series of online meetings connecting the European Bioplastics community with novel EU research and innovation (R&I) projects in the field of bioplastics. We bring together the representatives of projects that have just kicked off their activities with the EUBP members and partners.

Recording: https://youtu.be/aOG_AR-KUxI

Register for the next session: https://www.european-bioplastics.org/research-and-innovation-projects-events/touch-base-with-ri-projects/