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Viable, safe and sustainable PHBV value chain for food packaging applications

Project description

Safe and sustainable bio-based plastic packaging

As part of the EU’s Green Deal, the plastics strategy calls for transformation in the way plastic packaging and products are designed, produced, used and recycled. Included in its recommendations is the replacement of conventional plastics with safe and sustainable bio-based and biodegradable packaging alternatives. The EU-funded ViSS project aims to produce and validate a bio-based plastic from the copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) commonly known as PHBV. ViSS will source PHBV from industrial organic residues and transform it into quality food packaging that is non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable. It is estimated that adoption of the PHBV circular supply chain will achieve a 58 % reduction of CO2 emissions compared to its petroleum-based equivalents.

Objective

The European plastics policy highlights bio-based plastics as a key piece to solve the negative impact of fossil-based plastics in the environment. One of the most promising biodegradable biopolymers is the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) family that can replace these fossil-based plastics in many applications. They are synthesised by microorganisms from renewable carbon sources and exhibit good properties and excellent biodegradability.
In this sense, ViSS project will create a new value chain around PHBV (a copolymer of the PHAs family) as a safe, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative to conventional plastics, especially for short shelf-life food packaging applications due to its excellent properties including flexibility, processability, recyclability and biodegradability in relevant environments (soil, freshwater, marine, industrial composting and home composting). ViSS PHBV will be produced from industrial organic residues and will be formulated and compounded to be transformed and validated as high-performance food packaging, being mechanically recyclable and biodegradable.
Moreover, the whole ViSS circular value chain will be constructed upon a collaborative approach and under safe and sustainable criteria, accomplishing EU regulations and ensuring policy alignment, while the project will deliver and disseminate digital tools and resources which will favour an increased social readiness and marketability of bio-based plastics, fostering a ViSS wide adoption and replication.
Our project gathers 15 partners from 6 European countries leaders in different fields of knowledge, from bioplastic production to validation in real packaging applications.
Adoption of ViSS value chain will produce relevant outcomes as improved functionalities and environmental performances: reduction of 57.8% of CO2 emissions compared to fossil counterparts, yearly saving 11.7 kt of crude oil, recirculating 288.95 kt of biomass, avoiding the use of 2.2 kt of hazardous substances.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-IA - HORIZON Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL6-2022-CIRCBIO-02-two-stage

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Coordinator

ASOCIACION EMPRESARIAL DE INVESTIGACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DEL CALZADOY DEL PLASTICO DE LA REGION DE MURCIA
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 088 094,18
Address
AVENIDA EUROPA 4 5 POLIGONO INDUSTRIAL LAS SALINAS
30840 Alhama De Murcia
Spain

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Sur Región de Murcia Murcia
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 088 094,18

Participants (14)

Partners (1)

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