Recycling process trains of waste bioplastics

Project Information

Sus-Bio-plastics

Grant agreement ID: 101090336

DOI

10.3030/101090336

Project closed

EC signature date 12 June 2022

Start date 1 November 2022

End date 31 March 2025

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 164 328,00

Coordinated by

TECHNOLOGIKO PANEPISTIMIO KYPROU
Cyprus

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Sus-Bio-plastics (Recycling process trains of waste bioplastics)

Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2025-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The global bioplastics market, valued at over €4 billion annually and projected to reach €18 billion by 2030, represents a critical component of the transition towards sustainable materials. However, despite their environmental promise, bioplastics face a fundamental end-of-life management challenge that threatens to undermine their sustainability credentials. The product development efforts focus on the optimisation of the shelf life stability, the discovery of new products and completely neglected the end-of-life (EoL) fate. The paradox is that the primary environmental benefits of biodegradable bioplastics become evident during their EoL stage. Given their incomplete degradation at natural environment and their increasing production volumes, the development of effective and sustainable downstream recycling routes is imperative. This challenge is particularly acute for the most commercially significant bioplastics, which represent substantial market volumes but lack tailored waste management solutions. The project's strategic approach leverages cutting-edge microbial biotechnology to transform this waste management challenge into value creation opportunities. By developing innovative biological pathways for both material recovery and bio-recycling of bioplastic waste, the research directly addresses the missing link in the bioplastic value chain. The implementation of tailored microbial communities capable of transforming end-of-life bioplastics into high-value compounds represents a paradigm shift from waste disposal to waste valorisation.
Through the support of MSCA funding, the project has successfully established the scientific foundations for both the recovery and bio-recycling of bioplastic waste. Key findings indicate that synthetic consortia composed of bacteria, fungi, and microalgae are capable of mineralising the weathered layers of bioplastics. Additionally, other consortia have demonstrated the ability to effectively degrade specific bioplastics, such as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Throughout the duration of the project, an extensive series of experiments was conducted at mesophilic conditions to investigate the biodegradation potential of bioplastics through a comprehensive experimental approach spanning the entire project duration. The research commenced with benchmarking studies to evaluate the degradation efficiency of a bacterial-fungal consortium and two microalgal species against a diverse range of bioplastics including polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Building on these initial benchmarks, the project explored combinations of these biological agents, assessing their impact on both the composition and function of the microbial community, as well as on the physicochemical properties of bioplastic pellets. The project incorporated systematic optimization strategies targeting key bioprocess parameters. Environmental conditions (i.e. carbon or nitrogen load in the medium) were methodically adjusted or pretreatment methods to bioplastics were applied to increase their susceptibility to microbial attack. These efforts aimed to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of bioplastic waste degradation. A key scientific focus of the project was to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms underlying bioplastic degradation.

The project successfully established the biodegradation potential of multiple bioplastic substrates using innovative microbial consortia approaches at mesophilic conditions. Notably, the research highlighted the significant potential of newly developed tripartite community for advancing thermoplastic starch (TPS), PHB and PLA treatment or valorisation technologies.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Results Beyond the State of the Art
The MSCA project has delivered several significant scientific and technological advancements that extend beyond the current state of the art.
1. Development of Synthetic Microbial Consortia: The project successfully established novel synthetic consortia, combining bacteria, fungi, and microalgae, that demonstrated superior catalytic activity for a wide range of bioplastics, including PLA and PHB. This approach surpasses traditional single-strain or dual-strain systems by leveraging synergistic interactions within multi-kingdom communities.
2. Optimization of Bioprocess Parameters: Through systematic experimentation, the project identified key environmental parameters (such as extra carbon, nitrogen load) and pretreatment strategies that substantially enhance the susceptibility of bioplastics to microbial attack. These findings provide actionable protocols for improving bioprocess efficiency.
3. Mechanistic Insights: The project elucidated biochemical mechanisms underlying bioplastic degradation, offering new understanding of how microbial communities interact with and break down complex polymeric materials.
4. Bioclean-up of the weathered layer of PLA: The identification and demonstration of a newly developed tripartite microbial community for PLA waste treatment and valorisation represents a significant advancement, opening new avenues for the treatment of PLA bioplastics.
5. Bio-recycling of PHB and TPS: The development and validation of newly tripartite microbial communities for TPS and PHB waste treatment at mesophilic conditions represents a breakthrough in bioplastics waste management technology.
The project has successfully established the scientific foundations for both the recovery and bio-recycling of bioplastic waste. Continuous exploration of microbial consortia and their interactions to optimise degradation processes for a wider range of bioplastics and research into the scalability of bioprocesses for industrial applications, including pilot studies to validate laboratory findings are needed to ensure further uptake and success of the project.

Expected Potential Impact
The outcomes of this project are expected to have substantial scientific, environmental, and societal impacts:
1. Advancement of Circular Bioeconomy: By enabling efficient bio-recycling of bioplastics, the project contributes to the development of sustainable waste management solutions, supporting the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
2. Reduction of Environmental Pollution: Improved biodegradation processes for bioplastics can help mitigate plastic pollution, reducing the environmental footprint of plastic waste and supporting EU and global sustainability goals.
3. Industrial Application: The optimised microbial consortia and bioprocess strategies developed in this project provide a foundation for scaling up to industrial applications, facilitating the implementation of eco-friendly bioplastic recycling technologies.
4. Knowledge Dissemination and Capacity Building: The project’s active dissemination efforts, including publications, conference presentations, and educational outreach, foster knowledge transfer, inspire future research and innovation in the field, raise public awareness and encourage young people to pursue careers in environmental biotechnology and sustainability.

The tripartite consortium developed on bioplastics (PHB) pellets