Prof. PATRIZIA CINELLI patrizia.cinelli@unipi. Dr... · 2021. 5. 31. · This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’sHorizon

This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the EuropeanUnion’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 887648

Prof. PATRIZIA CINELLI [email protected]

“RECOVER: New bio-recycling routes for food packaging and agricultural plastic waste”

Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Pisa University, Pisa, Italy

Coordinator: Maria J. Lopez (University of Almeria, Spain)[email protected]

Development of innovative biotic symbiosis for plastic biodegradation and synthesis to solve their end of life challenges in the agriculture and food industries. GAGA 887648

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Recover figures

48 Months

17 Partners

7 Countries (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, United

Kingdom)

5.8 Million € (ca. 4.4 M€ EC contribution)

Call: BBI-2019-SO2-R3 - Apply microorganisms and/or enzymes to resolve end-of-life issues of plastics



A big plastics market segment is occupiedby packaging and agriculture plastics:

• Rigid packaging (bottle, box, tray)

• Soft packaging (films, lids)

• Pots, yarns, laminates

• Mulch films, sheets, trays

Plastic materials for packaging and agriculture


Source: https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/about-plastics/agriculture

A wide range of plastics are used in agriculture, including, polyolefins (polyethylenes (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystirene, Ethylene-Vinyl Accetate Copolymer (EVA) and less frequently, Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC), Polycarbonate (PC) and poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA).

https://www.plasticseurope.org/en/about-plastics/agriculture


Agri-food waste plastic a global concern

• 350 Mtons of plastics are produced worldwide per year, of which thepackaging sector consumes a 40% and agriculture applications a3.5%.

• Plastic residuals accumulate in natural environments because of theirlimited recovery and resistance to degradation, and the derivedmicroplastics suppose an additional environmental concern.

• Currently, only 31 % of plastics reaching waste management systemsis recycled while the remaining is incinerated or disposed of inlandfills.

• In agriculture, plastic mulching is suspected to be a significant sourceof microplastics in terrestrial environments.


• Less than 30% of plastic waste is collected for recycling

• 95% of the value of plastic packaging materials (70-105 billion €) is annuallylost after a very short first use cycle

• Commodities plastic ends up in composting plants

Plastic materials for packaging – May be recyclable


Recover objectives

• To solve the contamination of agro-fieldswith non-biodegradable agro-plastics andimprove municipal waste handling by reducingthe packaging fraction going to unsustainablewaste management routes.

• To provide novel biotechnologicalsolutions, combining microorganisms, novelenzymes, earthworms and insects thatdegrade non-recyclable plastic packaging andagricultural films waste streams and alsoproduce new feedstocks for the primary sector(biofertilizers) and bio-based industries withapplications in agriculture and food packaging.

Turning AWPs a resource

Offering solutions to AWPs

Agri-food Waste Plastics (AWPs)



Several examples in literature of worms and insects able to eat plastics

Biodegradation of Polyethylene and Plastic Mixtures in Mealworms (Larvae of Tenebrio molitor) and Effects on the Gut

MicrobiomeAnja Malawi Brandon, Shu-Hong Gao, Renmao Tian, Daliang Ning, Shan-Shan Yang, Jizhong Zhou, Wei-Min Wu,

and Craig S. Criddle, Environmental Science & Technology 2018 52 (11), 6526-6533; DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02301

Role of the intestinal microbiome in low-density polyethylene degradation by caterpillar larvae of the greater

wax moth, Galleria mellonella, Bryan J. Cassone, Harald C. Grove, Oluwadara Elebute, Sachi M. P.

Villanueva and Christophe M. R. LeMoine 2020, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0112

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.0112





https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0112


Problem: Quantify, characterize, define collection strategy, and pre-treatment

Tool: Select & upscale the production of biotech solutions

Solution: Upscale and monitor biodegradation capacities

Value: Develop added value downstream products

Sustainability: Risks, safety, environmental impact, costs, logistic and cascade strategy

AWPs: Agricultural plastics in soils,non-recyclable food packaging plastics (MSW) and microplastics in compost

Microorganisms

Earthworms

Insects

Enzymes

In situ - Bioremediation: SoilEx situ - Treatment: Compost & Vermicompost

Insect rearing

Improved biofertilizersChitin-based bioplastics and coatings

LCA & LCC & SLCA and C-foot print

Recover objectives

Social, Scientificand Economical

impact


Consortium


5 HES, 1 Association, 1 NGO, 7 SMEs, 3 large enterprises (2 BIC members)

Participant name Short name

Universidad De Almería UAL (Coo.)Università Di Pisa UNIPI

Asociación Agraria Jóvenes Agricultores España

ASAJA

BRUNEL University BRUNELUniversidad Miguel Hernández De Elche

UMH

Albstadt-Sigmaringen University ASUNATURPLÁS PLÁSTICOS AGRICOLAS, S.L.

NATURPLAS

ASA SPEZIALENZYME GMBH ASANUTRINSECT SRL NUTRINSECTIRIS Technology Solutions, S.L. IRISOrganic Waste Systems N.V OWSIDELUX Environnement IDELUXFEMTO ENGINEERING SRL FEMTOIngredient Odyssey LDA -Entogreen

ENTO

CARTON BROS. - MANOR FARM MANORENCO ENGINEERING SRL ENCOS.A. Agricultores de la Vega de Valencia

SAV


Recover added value products and applications


Fraction Product ApplicationsChitin from insect Chitin-based bioplastics Agriculture (pots, plant tips, etc)

Food packagingEnhanced mulching films

Organic leftovers after chitin extraction

Biofertilizer Agriculture

Vermicompost after plastic removal

Improved Vermicompost Agriculture


Expected impacts


• Establish a new circular cross-sectorial interconnection (waste management&biotechnology) and strengthen existing interconnections(bioplastic/agriculture & agri-food).

• Create three new bio-based value chains (link standard plastics withinsects/microorganisms and enzymes providers) and remodel existingpetrochemical-derived value chains (biofertilizers, agricultural bio-films andfood packaging)

• Validate new and improved processing technology. Scale up approach.

Offering solutions to the major problems posed by AWPs

• Reduce the generation and dispersion of microplastics and increase plastic recycling in EU by 12 %

• Provide alternatives for the removal of non-biodegradable plastics from the soil and the compost.

• Contribute to ‘close the loop’ within the agricultural and packaging sectors by converting AWP into biofertilizers and bioplastics for agriculture and packaging applications

• Avoid around 80% of CO2 emissions caused by common incineration of plastic.

This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the EuropeanUnion’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 887648This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the EuropeanUnion’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 887648

Processes

• Processes for AWP biodegradation in soil and compost

• RECOVER cascade process for safe and sustainable AWPprocessing

• Novel method for chitin extraction

• Waste management

• Biotechnology industry

• Plastic converters

• Fertilisers

• Mulching films

• Food packaging

Products

• Microorganisms, novel enzymes, and fortified insectsand earthworms for AWP biodegradation

• Biofertilizers based on vermi-compost, insect manureand/or chitin

• Chitin-based bioplastics for agriculture (pots, mulchingfilms) and food packaging (trays, rigid containers, films)applications

Resulting products


Collection and Analysis of plastic stream from food packaging and agriculture

Percentages of analysed mixed plastics


Polyethylene

Polyethylene Terephthalate

Virgin Used


Polystyrene

Used Virgin


exoscheleton of arthropodes: micro-composite of chitin fibrils in a protein matrix(containing also calcium carbonate)



Production of films for shopping bags

Good processability and tunability of thickness as afunction of process parameters.

Blown film extrusion in industrial plant

Sustainable technologies for the production of biodegradable materialsbased on natural chitin-nanofibrils derived by waste of fish industry, to

produce food grade packaging


Bio-blend + chitin nanofibrils + PLA/PBAT

Film produced by blown film extrusion in MICROTEC plant based on D material:

the colour is slightly browner than the reference BIOCOMP BF 7210, but the

transparency is similar.

Anti microbial properties.

Recycled paperboard

Chtin on cellulosic substrates


CONCLUSIONS

• RECOVER project target to solve the issue of biodegradability for mixed commodities plastic

• Plastic pre treatment

• Enzyme, insect and worms specialised

• Biomass valorization by extraction of chitin from insects exoscheleton

• Chitin high value as anti microbial and repairing wound healing

THANKS FOR YOUY ATTENTION

Documents

Prof. PATRIZIA CINELLI patrizia.cinelli@unipi. Dr... · 2021. 5. 31. · This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’sHorizon