ReBiocycle is developing and integrating technologies for the scale up of recycling of biobased biodegradable plastics through dedicated work packages and the establishment of three hubs (NL, IT, ES).
In WP2, the Hub leaders coordinated the successful sourcing and logistics management of the bioplastics packaging (PLA, PHA, Composites) from market suppliers and partners. Waste collection activities in the 3 Hubs is in progress. Near-infrared (NIR)detection has been successfully implemented for bioplastic separation in mixed waste streams.
In WP3, PLA and PHA were mechanically recycled in the ES hub. The preliminary shredding stage was optimized to minimize degradation of materials with preparation for scale-up underway. Biological recycling using anaerobic digestion (AD) digested PHA and PLA producing both biogas and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). These were subsequently used to produce PHA.
Chemical recycling of PLA has been initiated in the NL hub by testing the collected materials at Kg scale to prepare for experiments at multi-kg (pilot) scale. Crude depolymerised liquors were analysed and no problematic contaminations or racemization were identified.
In the IT hub, a multi-step methodology was developed to separate contaminants and organic/inorganic fillers from the polymeric fraction. Key issues addressed included resolving bioplastic solubility by avoiding chlorinated solvents and identifying suitable solvent mixes for selective dissolution of polymers/polyester mixes.
In the ES hub the expression of PHA depolymerases in yeast has been achieved with 100X greater expression (production) of the PHA depolymerising enzyme in yeast compared to the traditional bacterial host. The enzyme was able to depolymerise PHBHx supplied from the market (Kaneka).
In the ES hub volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced through anaerobic digestion (AD) of waste streams of PHA and PLA have been used to fuel bacterial fermentation for the production of virgin PHA. A continuous process at TRL 4 has been validated.
WP 4 is in preparatory mode awaiting recycled biodegradable bioplastics and is working with virgin materials to create standards for comparison with recycled materials.
In WP5 TCD has gathered literature and case studies to develop a SSbD framework for bioplastics and collaborations with EC-JRC. For the economic impact assessment, MAGFI conducted a market analysis of bioplastic production and recycling in Europe, assessing technological and economic trends for bioplastics like PLA, PHA, and Mater-Bi®. A tailored Excel-based techno-economic assessment (TEA) tool has been developed and validated on the data collection of ReBioCycle processes from the economic point of view. For the environmental aspects, ARCHA, Magfi and TCD have developed the Life Cycle questionnaire for the data gathering of the collection and sorting processes to be sent to the ReBioCycle Hubs Leaders.
