Periodic Reporting for period 3 - RECOVER (Development of innovative biotic symbiosis for plastic biodegradation and synthesis to solve their end of life challenges in the agriculture and food industries)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-05-31
The RECOVER project addresses the critical issue of plastic pollution, particularly from the agricultural and food packaging sectors, which significantly contribute to the global plastic waste problem. Currently, only a small portion of this waste is recycled, while the majority is incinerated, landfilled, or released into the environment. The heterogeneity and contamination of food packaging waste make it difficult to recycle with existing technologies, necessitating innovative solutions to close the loop on plastic materials.
To tackle this challenge, RECOVER develops biotechnological tools that utilize enzymes and organisms, such as microorganisms, earthworms, and insects, to degrade plastic waste and convert it into biofertilizers and bioplastics. These tools are tested in real-world conditions to ensure they can be effectively applied in farms and municipalities, promoting a circular economy. By focusing on the degradation and transformation of non-recyclable plastics, the project seeks to reduce environmental pollution and support sustainable agricultural and packaging practices.
The RECOVER project demonstrated significant progress in addressing agri-food plastic waste through biotechnological solutions. By identifying organisms and enzymes for biodegradation and developing systems for sorting, the project lays a foundation for innovative plastic waste management. While complete degradation of certain plastics remains challenging, the project successfully demonstrate that they can be modified and broken into smaller pieces and transformed into valuable by-products. These by-products, including biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, such as pots, food packages and mulching film. Dspite some limitations, the RECOVER project provides a pathway towards more sustainable and effective plastic waste management practices.
To tackle this challenge, RECOVER develops biotechnological tools that utilize enzymes and organisms, such as microorganisms, earthworms, and insects, to degrade plastic waste and convert it into biofertilizers and bioplastics. These tools are tested in real-world conditions to ensure they can be effectively applied in farms and municipalities, promoting a circular economy. By focusing on the degradation and transformation of non-recyclable plastics, the project seeks to reduce environmental pollution and support sustainable agricultural and packaging practices.
The RECOVER project demonstrated significant progress in addressing agri-food plastic waste through biotechnological solutions. By identifying organisms and enzymes for biodegradation and developing systems for sorting, the project lays a foundation for innovative plastic waste management. While complete degradation of certain plastics remains challenging, the project successfully demonstrate that they can be modified and broken into smaller pieces and transformed into valuable by-products. These by-products, including biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, such as pots, food packages and mulching film. Dspite some limitations, the RECOVER project provides a pathway towards more sustainable and effective plastic waste management practices.
The RECOVER project addresses the challenges of agri-food plastic waste through innovative biotechnological solutions. Efforts were dedicated to identifying types of agri-food waste plastics and developing logistical approaches for their management. Four target polymers—polystyrene (PS), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—were selected for degradation and conversion. An efficient hyperspectral imaging system for sorting of these plastics was established. Candidate organisms and enzymes for biodegradation were identified, leading to the discovery of four microbial consortia capable of utilizing various plastics, particularly LLDPE/LDPE, and the development of two novel enzymes with significant activity on LLDPE. Additionally, the use of earthworms for soil bioremediation and vermicomposting, and insects for plastic ingestion was explored, initiating the upscaling of these solutions.
Formulations for the selected biotechnological tools were upscaled, and protocols for their combined application at the pilot scale were defined. These tools were tested both ex-situ (composting/vermicomposting and insect culture) and in-situ (soil bioremediation) for the degradation and conversion of agri-food plastic waste. Added-value downstream products, such as biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, were developed. These efforts were supported by techno-economic analyses, risk and social assessments, and the proposal of a preliminary logistic plan for implementing the RECOVER value chain in a rural area.
Despite extensive testing, complete degradation of agri-food waste plastics, especially LDPE, was not fully achieved. Adjustments to biodegradation protocols did not yield effective results in complete degradation, although it was confirmed that plastics could be chemically modified and broken into smaller pieces by worms and insects assisted by microorganisms. A predictive model was developed to simulate biodegradation under various conditions. By-products from the biodegradation processes were used to create biofertilizers and chitin-based products, such as mulch coatings and food packaging films. These products proved effective in extending shelf life, controlling plant pathogens, and promoting beneficial microorganisms in crops.
To enhance the visibility and impact of the RECOVER project, comprehensive communication and dissemination measures were implemented. This included a communication campaign utilizing the project website, social media, press releases, and event participation. The project’s results were shared through 23 scientific publications and various workshops and conferences. Additionally, the project sought external support from the Horizon Results Booster for two services: improving exploitation strategies for key results, including hyperspectral imaging, predictive biodegradation models, and biofertilizers, and developing a business plan to advance the hyperspectral imaging system towards market readiness.
Formulations for the selected biotechnological tools were upscaled, and protocols for their combined application at the pilot scale were defined. These tools were tested both ex-situ (composting/vermicomposting and insect culture) and in-situ (soil bioremediation) for the degradation and conversion of agri-food plastic waste. Added-value downstream products, such as biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, were developed. These efforts were supported by techno-economic analyses, risk and social assessments, and the proposal of a preliminary logistic plan for implementing the RECOVER value chain in a rural area.
Despite extensive testing, complete degradation of agri-food waste plastics, especially LDPE, was not fully achieved. Adjustments to biodegradation protocols did not yield effective results in complete degradation, although it was confirmed that plastics could be chemically modified and broken into smaller pieces by worms and insects assisted by microorganisms. A predictive model was developed to simulate biodegradation under various conditions. By-products from the biodegradation processes were used to create biofertilizers and chitin-based products, such as mulch coatings and food packaging films. These products proved effective in extending shelf life, controlling plant pathogens, and promoting beneficial microorganisms in crops.
To enhance the visibility and impact of the RECOVER project, comprehensive communication and dissemination measures were implemented. This included a communication campaign utilizing the project website, social media, press releases, and event participation. The project’s results were shared through 23 scientific publications and various workshops and conferences. Additionally, the project sought external support from the Horizon Results Booster for two services: improving exploitation strategies for key results, including hyperspectral imaging, predictive biodegradation models, and biofertilizers, and developing a business plan to advance the hyperspectral imaging system towards market readiness.
The RECOVER project has significantly advanced the understanding and management of agri-food waste plastics, despite encountering challenges in achieving complete biodegradation. The extensive efforts to degrade low-density polyethylene and other plastics revealed that their recalcitrant nature posed substantial hurdles, resulting in degradation rates insufficient for economic viability and sustainability. Although the biological and mechanical pretreatment methods developed did not fully overcome these challenges, the project made notable progress in creating innovative by-products from waste streams.
One of the key successes of the project was the development of practical by-products such as biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, which have valuable applications in agriculture and food packaging. These advancements highlight the potential for beneficial reuse of waste materials, even when complete biodegradation of plastics remains unachievable. The ability to produce these by-products represents a significant step towards more sustainable waste management practices.
The project has also made strides in technology development and commercialization. Innovations such as hyperspectral imaging systems for waste monitoring and predictive models for optimizing biodegradation processes have been achieved. These advancements, alongside a business plan for marketing the technologies, suggest potential for future commercial success and continued progress in effective waste management solutions.
The RECOVER project has made notable progress in advancing Europe's bioeconomy by developing groundbreaking technologies to degrade non-recyclable plastics and produce new bio-based products. It has demonstrated the feasibility of achieving plastic circularity by integrating innovative biotech tools, resulting in valuable bioproducts for agricultural and food packaging applications. These advancements promise substantial social benefits. The project has created 21 direct and 12 indirect jobs across various fields. Environmentally, RECOVER has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the production of biofertilizers from waste, reduced land use with chitin-based biopolymers, and enhanced soil health. Its efforts also support biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, the project has tackled policy challenges by advocating for clearer definitions and requirements for insect frass in fertilizers under EU regulations, although further clarification is needed for complete market integration.
One of the key successes of the project was the development of practical by-products such as biofertilizers and chitin-based materials, which have valuable applications in agriculture and food packaging. These advancements highlight the potential for beneficial reuse of waste materials, even when complete biodegradation of plastics remains unachievable. The ability to produce these by-products represents a significant step towards more sustainable waste management practices.
The project has also made strides in technology development and commercialization. Innovations such as hyperspectral imaging systems for waste monitoring and predictive models for optimizing biodegradation processes have been achieved. These advancements, alongside a business plan for marketing the technologies, suggest potential for future commercial success and continued progress in effective waste management solutions.
The RECOVER project has made notable progress in advancing Europe's bioeconomy by developing groundbreaking technologies to degrade non-recyclable plastics and produce new bio-based products. It has demonstrated the feasibility of achieving plastic circularity by integrating innovative biotech tools, resulting in valuable bioproducts for agricultural and food packaging applications. These advancements promise substantial social benefits. The project has created 21 direct and 12 indirect jobs across various fields. Environmentally, RECOVER has contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the production of biofertilizers from waste, reduced land use with chitin-based biopolymers, and enhanced soil health. Its efforts also support biodiversity and sustainable agricultural practices. Additionally, the project has tackled policy challenges by advocating for clearer definitions and requirements for insect frass in fertilizers under EU regulations, although further clarification is needed for complete market integration.