POLYMEER kicks off to transform brewers' waste into high-value bioplastics

POLYMEER Project will establish a sustainable Bio-Based value chain for Bioplastics

Funded by the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking HORIZON programme under Grant Agreement nº 101157411, POLYMEER will run for 48 months starting 1st September 2024. The project has received 4.9M€ in funding and involves 14 partners from 8 countries, coordinated by Università degli Studi di Perugia (UNIPG).

Brussels, September 2024 - On 11th and 12th September 2024, with the first project meeting in Perugia, Italy, POLYMEER has officially begun aiming at establishing a sustainable bio-based value chain for bioplastic products. Through the efficient conversion of wet brewers' spent grain (BSG) into high added value materials the project will diversify the array of innovative material solutions capable of replacing traditional plastics.

About the project
Currently, bioplastics represent only 1.5% of global plastic production, with projected growth insufficient to meet market needs. BSG, which is rich in fiver and protein, is mostly used as low-value animal feed or discarded in landfills, contributing to environmental issues. BSG has potential as feedstock for bioplastics, however, current applications are limited by poor mechanical properties and lack of scalability. POLYMEER seeks to address these challenges developing high-value uses for BSG in bioplastics to replace fossil-based feedstocks.

POLYMEER will develop new bio-based polymers, copolymers and polymer blends based on BSG exploiting green, waste-minimised processes, expanding innovative alternatives to traditional plastics. The materials will undergo precise chemical design to meet a specific set of properties for three targeted applications: mulch films suitable for agricultural use, textile for the automotive industry, and tertiary packaging films for industrial purposes. All products will be designed to be recycled and/or biodegraded in specific environments.

Over its 48 months, the project will focus on optimising the conversion of BSG into bio-based building blocks, creating high-performance bioplastics than can compete with conventional materials. It will also assess the life cycle sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of these solutions, while engaging key stakeholders to ensure market readiness and regulatory compliance.

To achieve the ambitious goals of POLYMEER over the next four years, UNIPG will work with an international consortium including academic institutions, research centres, and companies from 8 countries: Italy (Università degli Studi di Perugia, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Next Technology Tecnotessile - NTT, Birra Peroni), Belgium (Bio-Base Europe Pilot Plant, Zabala Brussels, Normec OWS), Spain (Lomartov, Aimplas), Croatia (Bio-mi), Netherlands (Universiteit Twente), Portugal (Borgstena), and Denmark (Gate2Growth).

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.

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Zabala Innovation is a leading international consultancy firm in innovation strategy and R&D&I financing. It has a lot of experience in proposal writing, project management, and communication and dissemination activities of EUprojects. Our goal isn't just about obtaining funding, it's about making our clients' projects commercially successful.

Founded in 1308, Università degli Studi di Perugia is one of the oldest and most accredited universities in Italy. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees and doctoral programs in various academic disciplines with three internationally recognized centers of excellence, including the Beer Research Center.

Founded in 1303, Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" is the oldest university in Rome and the largest in Europe. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees and doctoral programs in all pure and applied sciences and humanities, as well as significant research programs in the fields of engineering and natural sciences, among others.

Bio-mi is an R&D company based in Croatia and dedicated to the production of final and semifinal thermoplastic materials used in packaging and agricultural products. It is the first manufacturer of certified bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable thermoplastics in East and Southeast Europe.

Based in Valencia, Lomartov supports companies, industrial clusters, and R&D projects in the chemical, industrial, materials, biotechnology, and bioengineering sectors. It is part of several national, European, and international projects, associations, and platforms and offers services such as environmental impact assessments and cost analysis.

Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant is a unique pilot facility for process development, scale-up, and custom manufacturing of innovative biobased products using technologies such as biomass pretreatment, biocatalysis, fermentation, and green chemistry. Established in Ghent in 2008, it has successfully conducted more than 450 projects.

Next Technology Tecnotessile is a private research organization in various industrial sectors, mainly textiles, clothing, textile machinery, and logistics. Founded in 1972, it has collaborated in R&D and technology transfer projects with companies, universities, and research centers in Italy and Europe in general.

Asociación de Investigación de Materiales Plásticos y Conexas is a technology center with more than 30 years of experience in the plastics sector. It provides solutions to companies throughout the entire value chain, from raw material manufacturers to processors and end users. AIMPLAS has more than 35 pilot plants to process plastic materials and carries out more than 5,000 analyses and tests every year.

Headquartered in Ghent, Normec OWS is the global market leader in the biodegradability and compostability testing of different types of material. It also offers additional services in the fields of biodegradation and compostability, waste composition, and recycling, such as auditing, sorting waste, and lifecycle assessments.

Universiteit Twente has been placed in the top 170 universities in the world and was ranked the best technical university in the Netherlands. It offers bachelor's and master's degrees and doctoral programs in engineering and natural and social sciences. UT has produced more spin-off companies and start-ups than any other Dutch university.

Founded in 1846, Birra Peroni is an Italian brewing company with three production plants and one malthouse. By 2030, it has committed to achieve carbon neutrality in its facilities, reduce landfill waste to zero, and use sustainably sourced raw materials and reusable or fully recyclable packaging.

Based in Portugal, Borgstena Textile Portugal designs and produces textile ecosystems for the automotive industry, including baby car seats and car and truck interiors. As part of its environmental commitment, it uses bio-based, natural, and recycled materials and aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% by 2025.

Founded in 1949, Fraunhofer is a leading applied research organization that conducts research on key future technologies and transfers its findings to industry. It operates 76 institutes and research units and works hand in hand with partners from industry, research, and the public sector to put innovations into practice.

Headquartered in Denmark, Gate2Growth's mission is to transform deep technological innovation into success stories. In addition to grant application writing, it assists companies and organizations from all over Europe in understanding market trends and planning financial strategies. It also participates in large-scale EU projects.

This release was published on openPR.