Integrated bio-based solutions to uplift multilayer plastic material (BIOLIFT)

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most used thermoplastic polymers for liquid drinks and food containers. PET is a high molecular weight polymer, composed of terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol.

PET-based products, such as those consisting of multilayer films and fibres, do not have the same recycling efficiency as PET bottles, as additional components (polyolefins, ethylene vinyl alcohol, additives, fillers and pigments) prevents a sufficiently high purity and yield of secondary chemical or monomeric feedstocks, when using conventional mechanical recycling processes.

In order to address the global challenges associated with plastic waste, there is a need for non-toxic, chemical transformation methods of the more complex PET waste products to value added chemicals as an attractive alternative to support a circular economy for plastic waste.BIOLIFT aims to establish and demonstrate a sustainable process for upcycling of PET plastic waste into valuable platform chemicals and functional lipids.

This will be achieved by conducting a holistic approach, where a mild thermochemical fractionation method will be developed to treat post-consumer plastic waste (such as bottles, trays and films) consisting of PET and branched polyolefins.

This will enable separate downstream processing, where each fraction will be used as feedstock for the production of valuable platform chemicals and functional lipids by using four microbial platforms.