Newsletter #1 topic - Discover BIOMAPS and BIOMAPS project

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.

BIOMAPS Objectives

Pollution due to microplastics is a global challenge. They persist in the environment and disrupt the ecosystem by accumulating in water, soil, and air, also entering the food chain through various organisms. Bio-based bio-degradable plasticssuch as polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHAs), avoid this issue. In this proposal, we address the bio-plastics manufacturability and thus their availability using bio-synthetic production and systematic incorporation of digital tools and modelling throughout the manufacturing stages.

Impacts

We aim to explore innovative approaches for controlling the processability of PHAs, to unlock new dimensions of versatility and functionality. Moreover, we want to open reliable paths for a more cost-effective production, optimizing resource utilization, forming circular material loops, reducing manufacturing costs, and expanding the markets of biopolymers toward novel application fields. Finally, we aim to enhance biodegradable plastic products and reduce environmental impact, e.g., (micro)plastic emissions, exploiting the current circular economy approach.

The BIOMAPS consortium

The project is managed by an international consortium of universities, research centers and companies, coordinated by VTT Technical Research Center of Finland Ltd and sees the participation of AIMPLAS (Spain), BIO-MI (Croatia), Bioplastech (Ireland), Inuru (Germany), Opel automotive (Germany), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Strane Innovation (France), University of Sassari (Italy), University of Santiago de Compostela - USC (Spain), and University of Turku (Finland).