New ReBioCycle project on novel recycling and upcycling solutions for bioplastics
Berlin, 2 October 2024 – The new EU-funded ReBioCycle project provides a portfolio of bioplastic sorting and recycling technologies within three complementary waste-processor-centric hubs. These hubs will be established for different technologies and technology readiness levels (TRL) in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and partly in Ireland. They will focus on mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, enzymatic recycling, and microbial recycling.
The ReBioCycle project kickoff will take place at the University College Dublin on 2-3 October 2024. European Bioplastics and its members, including TotalEnergies Corbion, AIMPLAS, Novamont, Corbion, Sulapac, Paques Biomaterials and Kaneka are amongst the 20 partners that have joined forces for developing and implementing “A new European blueprint for circular bioplastics upcycling solutions”, under the lead of the University College Dublin and BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre.
At a demonstrative scale and in the real operational environment for the effective and efficient recycling of three types of bioplastics: PLA, PHA and Composites, the project aims to demonstrate the higher impact of obtaining the same or superior grade of recycled polymers in higher-value applications.
Jan Pels CTO and Managing Director of TORWASH, leader of the Dutch hub, indicates that currently “The current recycling technologies available for recycling biodegradable plastics are limited, but with this project we are going to make them widely available. Then nobody can claim that the switch to biodegradable plastics cannot be made, because they cannot be recycled”.
Prof. Kevin O’ Connor, coordinator of the project, expects that the “ReBioCycle will scale up and demonstrate biobased biodegradable plastics recycling technologies: Biobased biodegradable plastics can be kept in the material cycle for as long as possible through innovative recycling technologies, thus demonstrating that end-of-life biobased biodegradable plastics can be used in the circular bioeconomy.”
