Skip to main content

Breaking down non-recycled plastic waste to make new products

Bio-based plastics
Upcycling of plastic granules into new products
Publication date:

Plastic waste is a massive and growing burden on our planet. To address the problem, the CBE JU-funded ENZYCLE project has developed innovative processes for treating and recycling plastics that were previously hard, or even impossible, to recycle.

In the European Union, over 27 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced a year, of which only about 31% is recycled. Much of the rest goes into landfill or is incinerated, emitting an estimated 50-80 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Some are even released into the environment, polluting seas and oceans.

Nonetheless, plastic remains a very useful material that is not easy to replace. It is highly versatile and addresses a number of needs. Light plastic materials in vehicles save fuel and cut CO2 emissions, high-performance insulation saves energy, plastic packaging preserves food and prevents waste, and plastics can save lives by facilitating medical innovation. Therefore, it is vital to make recycling processes more efficient.

'Certain types of plastic can be readily recycled by mechanically reshaping waste into a new material without altering the structure of the molecules of which it is composed. For some types of plastic, however, this is not feasible or leads to a decrease in quality,’ said Juan Antonio Tamayo, Industrial Biotechnology Specialist at the Spanish research centre, ITENE and project coordinator of ENZYCLE. 'ENZYCLE develops enzymatic processes that will allow us to recycle plastic waste that is currently not possible to recycle. It primarily targets recycling plastics used in packaging such as bottles, trays, pots, bags, tubes and films. Additionally, it also focuses on microplastics in wastewater.’

From enzyme selection to plastic recycling

Throughout the project, a dedicated group of experts from diverse partner institutions, such as Kristie Tanner from Spanish industrial microbiology company, Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence; Ana Mencher from ITENE; Christian Sonnendecker from the University of Leipzig (UL); Tom Ewing and Mattijs Julsing from Wageningen Research (WR) in the Netherlands; and Gerald Striedner from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) in Vienna, have engaged in synergistic bioprospecting activities. Their collective efforts have led to the discovery, production, and characterisation of new enzymes from natural microorganisms found in soil, seawater, and landfills. These enzymes, with their potential to break down plastics into their original components (monomers), are instrumental in our journey towards new and sustainable plastics.  

Certain types of plastic can be readily recycled by mechanically reshaping waste into a new material without altering the structure of the molecules of which it is composed.

Juan Antonio Tamayo,  project coordinator at ENZYCLE

The most promising enzymes, as well as the biological systems producing them, can be further engineered and improved for industrial use. Large-scale production of the selected enzymes is possible thanks to companies such as ENZYCLE partner ASA from Germany. This makes possible the high-scale depolymerisation of plastics through more sustainable processes. ITENE, WR, and UL have used the enzymes produced to develop robust processes at pilot scale for the depolymerisation of different plastic fractions.  

New life as high-performing materials  

Subsequently, a downstream processing step is needed to recover and purify the necessary monomers before they can be transformed into new plastics. To do this, ENZYCLE partner and technology company FeyeCon, from the Netherlands, employs highly sophisticated approaches based on the application of supercritical technology. 

Once the recovered building blocks have the necessary quality, they can be transformed into high-performance plastics and polyurethane foam as part of a resource-efficient and circular approach. These new products are suitable for use in various sectors, including packaging, transport, construction and textiles. Also, the breaking down of the microplastics in wastewater results in the production of biodegradable compounds, biogas and compost.

'Both individual enzymes and communities of microorganisms are tested to recycle plastic components and make them ready for new applications in the packaging and building materials industries,’ said Katrin Weinhandl, funding specialist and science communicator at the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology.

Ecosystem and economic impacts

ENZYCLE aims to protect ecosystems and minimise the risks to marine life by reducing the amount of plastic that is discharged into the environment and preventing the release of microplastics into water bodies. In this regard, technologies are being developed to recover and degrade microplastics in one of the wastewater treatment plants owned by the water purification company Depuración de Aguas del Mediterráneo.  

ENZYCLE also benefits from the participation of large enterprises such as Aliplast, Indorama, Greiner Packaging and Soprema. Their involvement in different areas of the plastic value chain helps technology creators facilitate the industrial uptake of the developed processes. Furthermore, by helping to establish connections between waste management, wastewater treatment, biotechnology and materials manufacturing companies, the project fosters knowledge sharing and technology transfer, leading to job creation.

Both individual enzymes and communities of microorganisms are tested to recycle plastic components and make them ready for new applications in the packaging and building materials industries.

Katrin Weinhandl, science communicator at the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology

Making it easier to reduce and recycle plastic waste will cut the amount of plastic that goes into landfills or is incinerated and the related economic costs and CO2 emissions. In addition, the project will support the growth of the recycling industry by increasing the quantity and variety of plastics that can be recycled. This will expand business opportunities for recycling facilities, create new value chains and markets for recycled plastics, and encourage investment in advanced recycling infrastructure.  

Related projects

  • enzycle_logo

    ENZYCLE

    Plastic waste is a major and increasing problem for the EU. In 2017, more than 27 million tonnes of plastic waste were produced in the EU28 (plus...