This is the first newsletter of the BIOMAPS project, specifically devoted to a periodical update of the project outcomes, aiming to disseminate them to a wider public. Each newsletter develops a particular topic that will be developed and implemented in the upcoming three-years, providing the readers with fresh and smart information and using a multidisciplinary approach.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are polymers produced naturally by bacteria as a carbon and energy store. They are both biobased and biodegradable. This means that they are produced from renewable resources such as sugars and plant oils and they can be broken down by microorganisms to carbon dioxide and water. They can also be produced from waste resources such as used cooking oil or agricultural byproducts. This solves two of the major problems associated with traditional plastics. Traditional plastics are produced from non-renewable fossil-based resources, and they persist in the environment for many years.

This Guide provides a clear and accessible introduction to biobased vitrimers, a rapidly emerging class of materials in polymer science. Like other emerging sustainable materials, vitrimers combine complex chemistry and real-world applications, which can be difficult to understand. For this reason, this Guide aims to simplify these concepts by offering a narrative that is scientifically sound and easy to understand. Readers will learn how these materials are designed, why they are considered sustainable, and how they can transform the future of plastics.