SOUL

Bio-based in Soil applications with Optimal biodegradation in their Ultimate Life – The SOUL project

Project details

Type of project
Innovation Action - Demonstration
Project focus
Bio-based polymers & plastics
Feedstock origin
Agri-food waste
Organic waste
Feedstock type
Crop residues
Organic fraction of municipal solid waste
Project period
1 September 2025 - 31 August 2029
Status
Upcoming
CBE JU Contribution
€ 7 267 599,50
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2024

Summary

The use of plastic products in agriculture has increased due to their affordability and versatility, but the environmental impact of plastic waste is a growing concern. Current waste management systems struggle to recycle or properly dispose of aAgricultural plastic in mulch films, tree guards, and fertilisers, leading to soil pollution and human health hazards., .  

To tackle these challenges, the SOUL project aims to develop biodegradable, bio-based plastic that break down safely in the soil, reducing pollution and improving waste management. By focusing on products commonly used in agriculture, such as mulch films and tree shelters, SOUL seeks to transform existing plastic products and develop sustainable end-of-life solutions.  

These new biodegradable materials will help reduce soil contamination and minimise the environmental impact of plastic waste. The project involves a collaboration between industry leaders, researchers, and policymakers working together to create sustainable solutions.

  • Produce 11 biodegradable-in-soil product solutions using bio-based materials.  
  • Achieve a production capacity superior to 250 tonnes per year.  
  • Optimise and scale up the production of thermostable enzymes for degradation in soil and water and develop and test masterbatches containing these enzymes for biodegradable products.  
  • Demonstrate the feasibility of novel biomaterials for use in agriculture, gardening, and sports.  
  • Test and validate products at five real demonstration sites in different countries (Spain, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Ireland).  
  • Test biodegradation in various environmental conditions to ensure no ecotoxicological impact, while developing solutions for product reuse, recycling, or organic recycling at the end of their life.  
  • Establish a framework for designing safe, sustainable products, and ensure it is implemented in production and end-use.  
  • Provide recommendations for integrating the safe-and-sustainable-by-design initiative.  
  • Develop a business plan and exploitation strategy for the commercial use of innovations.  
  • Engage with EU bodies to create policies for the use and standardisation of biodegradable products and organise workshops and training sessions to build synergies across sectors and initiatives. 

  • Reduce non-renewable energy consumption by an expected 40% and CO2 emissions by 50% by end of the project.
  • Increase European biodegradable plastic production capacity.  
  • Reduce microplastic pollution and ensure eco-friendly compliance.  
  • Create 35 new direct jobs, with the bioplastic industry expected to grow threefold for bioplastic and twofold for biodegradable plastic, potentially leading to up to 1,000 jobs in the first years and up to 800,000 jobs in the long term.
  • Generate a €7 million return within four years of the project completion.
  • Outperform conventional plastic by improving circularity through waste reduction and recycling, while reducing plastic-related health risks and promoting environmental stewardship and social justice.
  • Increase market uptake of biodegradable biomaterials across multiple sectors.  
  • Stimulate innovation and replication in other sectors, such as biomedical and 3D printing.   

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • FUNDACION AITIIP Zaragoza, Spain

Consortium

  • NOVAMONT SPA Novara, Italy
  • RE SOIL FOUNDATION Torino, Italy
  • SICOR SOCIEDADE INDUSTRIAL DE CORDOARIA SA Cortegaca - Ovar, Portugal
  • EUROPEAN BIOECONOMY BUREAU Bruxelles / Brussel, Belgium
  • Samco Agricultural Manufacturing Limited Limerick, Ireland
  • INSTYTUT UPRAWY NAWOZENIA I GLEBOZNAWSTWA, PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY Pulawy, Poland
  • HOLOSS - HOLISTIC AND ONTOLOGICALSOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, LDA. MONCAO VIANA DE CASTELO, Portugal
  • AIMPLAS - ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS PATERNA VALENCIA, Spain
  • AMORIM CORK SOLUTIONS, S.A MOZELOS, Portugal
  • Tenax S.p.A. Viganò, Italy
  • NOVAMONT IBERIA S.L. CORNELLA DE LLOBREGAT, Spain
  • AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Madrid, Spain
  • EVOENZYME SL Madrid, Spain
  • ASOCIACION ESPAÑOLA PARA EL DESARROLLO Y TRANSFERENCIA TECNOLOGICA EN LA AGRICULTURA Y LA GANADERIA - ASETAGA Elche Alicante, Spain
  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA Bologna, Italy
  • MOSES PRODUCTOS SL Zaragoza, Spain
  • NORMEC OWS GENT, Belgium
Partners
  • Bedoukian Research Switzerland Sàrl Geneve, Switzerland