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The meeting was hosted by our partner AIMPLAS The Technological Institute of Plastics, which is a specialist in offering global solutions for the entire value chain of plastics. During the two-day meeting, we presented an overview of all the different work packages and the partners had the possibility to conduct parallel sessions to discuss the risks and challenges foreseen.

Additionally, partners enjoyed a tour through the AIMPLAS facilities and the consortium met virtually with the advisory board to showcase some of the results and activities carried out.

The next meeting will be organised by RWTH University in Aachen (Germany)  in November.

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The meeting was organised by the University College of Dublin (UCD). There, the partners had the opportunity to review the different work packages of the initiative as well as enjoy a dynamic tour through the UCD’s facilities.

The meeting was a great opportunity to engage with all the partners in order to achieve the goals of the project and to make a significant contribution to upcycle plastic packaging waste and integrating bio-based building blocks, instead of using virgin fossil-based monomers, hence resulting in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of plastic packaging waste generation and also the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-based production.

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There, our researcher Klemens Kremser from the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (ACIB) was selected for the category Excellence and Societal Impact category.

The work presented by Klemens was in the framework of the scientific paper: Bioleaching/enzyme-based recycling of aluminium and polyethylene from beverage cartons packaging waste which is available on the UPLIFT website (download here) and some of the investigations carried out in the UPLIFT project are showcased.

The Life Science Research Awards is an initiative organised by the Austrian Association of Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology with the aim of promoting young scientists  to support early-stage researchers

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But what are aromatics, and why do they matter? Aromatics are chemicals with ring structures, like benzene. Despite the name, not all are fragrant; however, many have strong scents, hence the term “aroma.” These compounds play vital roles in diverse fields due to their unique properties.

The 4-hydroxy phenylacetate is a bio-based compound that serves as a key building block for plastics. Its chemical structure, featuring a carboxylic acid and an alcohol group, enables the formation of polymer chains. This process creates durable, sustainable materials as alternatives to traditional plastics derived from fossil fuels.

Upscaling aromatics within food and drink packaging is a significant stride. It bridges the gap between lab research and real-world application. This transition is pivotal in evaluating practical potential. By ramping up production of these bio-based aromatics, researchers assess their viability on a larger scale, potentially transforming the packaging industry.

Collaboration between Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), the Hans Knöll Institute (HKI), and the Bio-Based Europe Pilot Plant (BBEPP) drives this innovative concept. FZJ kickstarted the journey by developing microorganisms that convert bio-based 4-hydroxyphenylacetate. HKI streamlined the process, enhancing efficiency. BBEPP then took the lead in upscaling, producing kilogram quantities of the compound.

In summary, the project’s focus on bio-based aromatics holds promise for sustainable packaging solutions. Upscaling is crucial, bridging the gap between theory and application. With FZJ, HKI, and BBEPP leading the charge, this endeavour showcases the potential of collaborative efforts in steering us towards a greener and more sustainable future.

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The RRB2023 conference took place in Riga, Latvia and it was revolving around using biotechnology and green chemistry for the biorefinery of renewable raw materials for food and non-food applications. Since the event was focused on biomass biorefinery, Passanun had the opportunity to show the AAU work regarding the developed enzymes and microbial technology to depolymerize and upcycle plastics. So far, plastics can also become a renewable raw material.

“This year, there were many plastic bioupcyling projects presented at the conference (e.g., biotechnological upcycling of blended textiles, upcycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate to Polyhydroxyalkanoates and wax ester, a number of presentations about lactic acid fermentation for Polylactic acid production), indicating that plastic biorefinery is not impossible anymore and it is playing a main role in a new stream of biorefinery research” stated Passanun about the RRB2023.

The poster won the best presentation award due to its focus on PE upcycling process by firstly using pyrolysis to depolymerize PE plastic and recover the process’s waste called PE pyrolysis wax, which then was used as a carbon source in the bio-conversion process to produce a wax ester. The main biocatalyst is ‘enriched microbial consortia’ developed by enrichment on PE pyrolysis wax as the sole carbon source and then using Adaptive Laboratory Evolution to adapt the consortia in high concentrations of the wax.

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Recycling is the process of recovering materials that would otherwise be discarded. This can include for instance waste paper, plastic, glass, and metal, which are collected, sorted and reprocessed into materials and products that can be used for the same or new purposes. While recycling is important for conserving resources and reducing waste, it does require energy and resources to process the materials, and the resulting products may not be as high quality as those made from virgin materials, often leading to downcycling.

Upcycling, on the other hand,  is the process of taking discarded materials and using them to create something new that is of higher quality or value than the original item. This can be done by repurposing the material in a  way to add new functionalities and/or improved properties. Upcycling allows us to valorise resources that would otherwise be thrown away.

(Lomwongsopon and Varrone. Critical Review on the Progress of Plastic Bioupcycling Technology as a Potential Solution for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management. Polymers 2022, 14(22), 4996; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14224996

Overall, upcycling and recycling are both important practices that can help to reduce waste and minimize our impact on the environment, representing key elements in the EU waste management strategy. By understanding the difference between the two and how they can be used together, we can make more informed decisions about how to live sustainably and protect our planet for future generations.

The European Union has set ambitious goals to reduce waste and increase resource efficiency, and both practices can help to achieve these goals. Upcycling in particular can be a useful tool for keeping the material in the loop and value chain, reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, and it can also help to create new job opportunities and stimulate the economy.

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The meeting was organised by our entity coordinator, the University of Aalborg. There, the partners had the opportunity to review the different work packages of the initiative. On the first day, the meeting started with our project coordinator, Cristiano Varrone welcoming the session and giving an overview of the current status of the project.

Before giving the floor to the technical partners, Sustainable Innovations presented their results in the framework of communication and dissemination. Later, ACIB presented the status of the depolymerization of plastics followed by the University College of Dublin where they presented the status of fermentation of building blocks.  Finally, DTU presented the progress regarding chemo-enzymatic polymer synthesis as well as the work plan for the sustainability assessment. The first day concluded with Bio-Mi presenting the actions for the Scale-Up and manufacturing.

The second day was dedicated to having several technical group meetings where the partners could evaluate possible risks and how to avoid them as well as to discuss the work performed by AIMPLAS in the field of plastic value chain analysis.

The meeting was a great opportunity to engage with all the partners in order to achieve the goals of the project and to make a significant contribution to upcycle plastic packaging waste and integrating bio-based building blocks, instead of using virgin fossil-based monomers, hence resulting in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of plastic packaging waste generation and also the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-based production.

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During these two days, the consortium partners exposed the advancement of all the work packages, analysed possible risks, and talked about the work ahead in the following work packages:

• Plastic value chain analysis
• Depolymerization of plastics and cleaning
• Fermentation of building blocks
• Chemo-enzymatic polyester synthesis
• Sustainability assessment
• Scale-up and manufacturing
• Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation activities
• Project management

The meeting was successfully closed on the second day, with a great balance of the work carried out during the first six months of the project. Additionally, the consortium had the opportunity to have open discussions revolving around possible risks and the actions for the next semester.

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Cristiano showcased the overall concept of the initiative as well as the objectives, methodology, and impacts, emphasising the process from Biorefineries to renewable building blocks for plastics.

There, he explained the main idea to integrate the fossil-based (depolymerised) plastic monomers with bio-based (fermented) building blocks, to obtain more carbon-neutral polymers.

The main idea of MIX-UP (MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities) is to showcase a novel approach for plastic recycling and therefore addresses one of the greatest challenges of our time: the establishment of a circular (bio)-economy for plastics.

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