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A feasibility study, to investigate and verify the commercial and industrial viability of a wastewater processing solution to generate bioplastics from agri-food and municipal wastewater sources.

Objective

Currently, the bioplastics industry is restricted by the high cost of PHA and PHB bioplastics, despite the global capacity for their production outstripping commonly-used hydrocarbon-based thermoplastics and alternative bioplastic solutions; contemporary bioplastics that can compete with hydrocarbon thermoplastics are derived from crops (primarily using starch compounds), creating a conflict between using crops for food or as an industrial raw material, and increasing the cost of food. Furthermore, wastewater presents itself as a constant burden for industry, particularly wastewater containing nutrients that can potentially lead to a high biological oxygen demand (BOD) which damages aquatic ecosystems. The Eggplant is an innovative two-phase water treatment procedure that filters industrial wastewater and applies a three-stage post-filtration process. Through this process, each Eggplant uses wastewater as a raw material for the production of bioplastics using a commercial bacterial culture. Critically, the water at the end of the process is purified and safe to be used as drinking water or for release into watercourses. The primary value of Eggplant is the reduction of waste from agri-food industrial wastewater from twofold to zero – filtration removes the majority of pollutants and fermentation removes organic contaminants. The resulting concentrate is then processed into PHA and PHB bioplastics. Moreover, an Eggplant, through the use of concentrated substrate can generate 3-4 times as much bioplastic from an equivalent volume of wastewater.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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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) H2020-SMEInst-2014-2015

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Coordinator

EGGPLANT SOCIETA A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA
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.

€ 50 000,00
Address
VIA DON MINZONI 27
70044 POLIGNANO A MARE (BA)
Italy

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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
Sud Puglia Bari
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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.

€ 71 429,00
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