Kick-off meeting of ReBioCycle, a Circular Bio-based Europe project on sorting and converting of bioplastics for novel upcycling solutions in Europe

The ReBioCycle project (A new European blueprint for circular bioplastics upcycling solutions), a new project from the EU Horizon Europe program coordinated by Prof. Kevin O´Connor from the University College Dublin (UCD) was launched from 2nd to 3rd of October 2024 in Dublin (Ireland). The Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC) participates in this Innovation Action, granted a total of € 7.5 million. This project at the CIB-CSIC will be directed by Prof. Auxiliadora Prieto, Head of the Polymer Biotechnology Group (POLYBIO), collaborating with 18 European partners from industry and academia. The European partners are from 7 countries (DE, ES, FI, IE, IT, NL, and MT).  

ReBioCycle provides a portfolio of bioplastic sorting and recycling technologies within 3 complementary waste-processor-centric HUBs (NL, IT & ES) at a demo scale showing the effective and efficient recycling of 3 types of bioplastics (PLA, PHA, Mater-Bi) and to demonstrate higher impact of obtaining the same or superior grade recycled polymers and other higher value applications. The NL HUB applies chemical technology to recycle PLA & PHA polymers at a waste sorting site in Heerenveen (Friesland, NL). In the IT HUB, chemical technology will be used to recycle 600 kg of mixed composites including bioplastics of Mater-Bi. Also, PHA from the NL and ES HUBs will be tested in the IT HUB to blend into further Mater-Bi bioplastic formulations. A waste sorting site of Borgaro Torinese (Piedmont, IT) and NOVAMONT’s new dedicated bioplastics recycling section within its Terni (IT) plant will be involved. In the ES HUB, CSIC will apply enzymatic recycling technology for bioplastics (supported by AIMPLAS plastic pre-treatment). Microbial recycling technology (brought to TRL 7) will result in outcomes of many kilos of rPHA (rPHBV & rPHBHx as mixtures) and rPHBV alone. ES HUB activities will take place at a waste sorting site in Manises (Valencia, ES). ReBioCycle will verify the industrial grade specifications of the upcycled bioplastics by biopolymer brand owners and via demonstration of real-world products: durable (PLA) and multi-use packaging (PHA and Mater-Bi).

The POLYBIO group of CIB-CSIC will participate in this international collaborative project by applying biological recycling of PHA using enzymes for PHA depolymerization. CIB-CSIC will use in-house hydrolytic enzymes (PHA depolymerase mixtures) to ensure the depolymerization of PHA materials to their constituent monomers with very high selectivity. CSIC will produce the extracellular enzymes by fermentation, harvest and concentrate the enzymes, and optimize the enzyme-catalyzed depolymerization of PHA in bioreactors. The gained monomers will be the source of recycled PHA (rPHA) for subsequent use as new bioplastic material.

More information:

Website: https://rebiocycle.eu/