Project
POLYMEER is dedicated to play a part in establishing a new bio-based value chain for bioplastic products from sustainable sourcing through the effective exploitation of the potential of brewers’ spent grain (BSG) reuse. This entail the efficient conversion of wet BSG into versatile bioplastics tailored for three for three crucial application. These applications are characterized by technical demands that existing bioplastics struggle to meet or where conventional fossil-based plastics still dominate: 1) mulch films suitable for agricultural use, 2) textile for the automotive industry, and 3) tertiary packaging films for industrial purposes, that can be recycled and/or biodegraded in specific environments. The project is a holistic endeavour aimed to achieve this goal. It involves the entire production process, starting with BSG fractionation into key biopolymers, primarily cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. These valuable components are then transformed into specific polymers and copolymers exploiting green, waste-minimised processes. Finally, through blending, formulation and processing we will create cutting-edge bioplastics suitable for the designated fields. The most promising results from our lab-scale production will undergo upscaling to demonstrate economic and technical feasibility, paving the way for market launch within 3-5 years post-project completion. Furthermore, we thoroughly evaluate these materials’ properties, considering their environmental, social, and economic impacts during large-scale production. We ensure product safety and explore biodegradability potential and recycling processes throughout the production process.
In essence, POLYMEER is not just about bioplastics; it’s about redefining sustainability in the bioplastics industry with tailor-made solutions derived from BSG.
Coordinator
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA (Italy)
Partners
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PERUGIA (Italy), UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA (Italy), BIO BASE EUROPE PILOT PLANT VZW (Belgium), NEXT TECHNOLOGY TECNOTESSILE SOCIETA NAZIONALE DI RICERCA R L (Italy), LOMARTOV SL (Spain), ZABALA BRUSSELS (Belgium), AIMPLAS – ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS (Spain), NORMEC OWS (Belgium), BIO-MI DRUSTVO S OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU ZA PROIZVODNJU, ISTRAZIVANJEI RAZVOJ (Croatia), UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE (The Netherlands), BIRRA PERONI SRL (Italy), DUAL BORGSTENA TEXTILE PORTUGAL LDA (Portugal), FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV (Germany), INVESTORNET-GATE2GROWTH APS (Denmark)
Tasks of Normec OWS
- Evaluate the final products for suitability for organic recycling by industrial composting (including biodegradation, evaluation of material characteristics (mainly heavy metals), disintegration and effect on plant toxicity) and anaerobic digestion
- Examine the biodegradation of the developed mulch films in soil and perform ecotoxicity test on the degradation residuals
The project is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE JU. Neither the European Union nor the CBE JU can be held responsible for them.