Descrizione del progetto
Una nuova soluzione per l’inquinamento causato dalla plastica
La transizione dell’UE verso un’economia più circolare e sostenibile è legata agli sforzi per ridurre al minimo la generazione di rifiuti. Un’economia più circolare della plastica svolge un ruolo chiave in questa transizione. Il progetto RECOVER finanziato dall’UE mira a risolvere il problema dell’accumulo di plastiche non riciclabili provenienti dal settore agricolo e degli imballaggi, nonché il problema dell’inquinamento causato dalle microplastiche. Il progetto applicherà soluzioni biotecnologiche, tra cui una combinazione di microrganismi, nuovi enzimi, lombrichi e insetti per degradare la plastica e trasformarla in prodotti a valore aggiunto. Tra i suoi ambiziosi obiettivi, RECOVER svilupperà dei processi per il biorisanamento dell’inquinamento causato dalla plastica nel suolo e nel compost, e per la biotrasformazione delle plastiche tradizionali in biofertilizzanti e plastiche biodegradabili destinate al settore agricolo e degli imballaggi. In tal modo, il progetto contribuirà a chiudere il ciclo in entrambi i settori produttivi, risolvendo al tempo stesso le questioni ambientali attuali.
Obiettivo
RECOVER is a disruptive RIA proposal built upon the actual needs to solve the contamination of agro-fields with non-biodegradable agro-plastics as well as to improve municipal waste handling by decreasing drastically the packaging fraction going to unsustainable waste management routes.
We intend to reach our ambitious objectives applying biotech solutions that will include symbiotic bioprocesses between previously reported high powered microorganisms through microbiotic systems vectored by several insect species. Indeed, one of the main innovations in our proposal is the combination of endogenous and exogenous microorganisms and their inoculation on insects. This will allow achieving higher levels of biodegradation and direct conversion (at the same time) of agri-food plastic wastes in insect by-products such as chitin, that can be converted in chitosan (high value as bioplastics raw materials and other interesting industrial applications due to anti-microbial activity) that will be used in active packaging, enhanced mulching films and biofertilizers applications.
RECOVER will help providing novel biotechnological solutions applying microorganisms, enzymes and insects to degrade conventional plastic packaging and agricultural films waste streams but also result in new feedstocks for the bio-based industries. The process will be optimized and performed either ex-situ in composting reactors (preferred route for non-recyclable plastics from municipal solid waste or for agricultural films that can be collected easily) or in-situ in the case of bioremediating soil pollution, by e.g. mulching films, further contributing to the long-term removal of non-biodegradable polymers from the environment. In addition, RECOVER can solve the microplastics pollution at the level of both industrial composting and soil.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste management
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomology
- engineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterialsbioplastics
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiology
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- H2020-EU.3.2. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research, and the bioeconomy Main Programme
- H2020-EU.2.1.4. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Biotechnology
- H2020-EU.3.2.6. - Bio-based Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBI-JTI)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinatore
04120 Almeria
Spagna