Project description
Boosting viability in the bio-based plastics sector
Bio-based plastics, heralded as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional fossil-based plastics, face a significant challenge: effective recycling. Unlike their counterparts, bio-based plastics require meticulous sorting before recycling, a process complicated by their integration into diverse packaging materials. This sorting hurdle impedes the scalability needed to foster a circular economy for bio-based plastics, essential for sustainable market growth. Addressing these complexities is the EU-funded PROSPER project, a collaborative initiative poised to revolutionise the recycling landscape. Specifically, PROSPER will integrate AI-sorting innovations and test them in real waste management settings. It will also evaluate market dynamics and consumer perceptions to boost the viability of the recycled bio-based plastic sector.
Objective
Bio-based plastics are now seen as an eco-friendly substitute for traditional fossil-based plastics. Interestingly, aside from their environmentally friendly origins and in some cases, their biodegradability, bio-based plastics present a promising market potential for recycling, particularly through chemical depolymerisation. Nevertheless, before recycling, bio-based plastics must first be separated and isolated from other packaging materials. Achieving effective sorting of bio-based plastics presents a challenge in the market, as bio-based plastics require scale to be sorted and to form a circular economy. Yet, they also need circularity as a sustainability selling point to boost their sales.
The PROSPER project brings together three bio-based plastic producers (including PLA and AAPE-blend producers), a major brand owner, an EPR scheme/PRO participant, a supplier of AI-sorting technology, a sorting testing center, four waste management companies, a municipality and a specialised consultant. It is supported by the scientific expertise of three research institutions and universities, as well as a policy-oriented non-profit organisation. The project offers a comprehensive approach by developing policy interventions, EPR fee scenarios and quantifying recycling rates and cost benefits associated with these scenarios. It also focuses on demonstrating technical advancements in sorting and recycling at industrial scale inside four real waste management companies. PROSPER will also evaluate the market potential for recycled bio-based plastic products through consumer studies, engagement with companies and PROs, while also assessing the Life Cycle, Social Life Cycle, material circularity indicators and economic business models.
The institutionalisation of a system change by the different stakeholders in the bio-based plastics value chain will be crucial in achieving circularity, improving environmental performance and fostering positive impacts in the bio-based economy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecycling
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplasticspolylactic acid
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-IA - HORIZON JU Innovation ActionsCoordinator
9000 Gent
Belgium
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Participants (18)
70132 BARI
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
6708 PB Wageningen
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1040 Bruxelles / Brussel
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28100 Novara
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08500 Vic Barcelona
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8447 SE HEERENVEEN
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7760 Escanaffles
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28016 Madrid
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03440 Ibi (Alicante)
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08221 TERRASSA
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2600 ANTWERPEN
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
25124 Brescia
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
25124 Brescia
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46446 EMMERICH AM RHEIN
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28230 Las Rozas De Madrid
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92400 Courbevoie
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
92040 PARIS LA DEFENSE
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1853 Strombeek Bever
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Partners (1)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
75009 Paris
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