MIX-UP

  This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 870294.  

Title

MIXed plastics biodegradation and UPcycling using microbial communities

Concept

Plastics are an important material in our economy, but there are serious downsides for the environment and our health. Plastic adversely affects all ecosystems and microplastics are of particular concern to our health. Increasing plastic waste recycling is a top priority in Europe’s transition towards a circular economy. The EU-funded MIX-UP project is addressing the market needs for new sustainable routes to valorise plastics waste streams. As such, plastic mixtures with five of the top six fossil-based recalcitrant plastics (PP, PE, PUR, PET and PS) and biodegradable plastics such as PLA and PHA, will be used as feedstock for microbial transformations. Not only will this increase the recycling quota, it will add value to poorly recycled plastic waste streams.

Participants

• Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain
• University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Ireland
• Universität Greifswald, Germany
• SOPREMA, France
• Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany
• BioPlastech Ltd., Ireland
• Centre national de la recherche scientifique CNRS, France
• PGS Pacific Garbage Screening GmbH, Germany
• AB Enzymes GmbH, Germany