BIO-MI
BIO-MI is a small to medium-sized enterprise specializing in the manufacturing and research and development of thermoplastic materials, including final and semi-final products. The company focuses on advancing the engineering of new biobased and sustainable plastic materials, making it the first in East and Southeast Europe to produce biobased thermoplastic materials and products. In addition to its manufacturing capabilities, BIO-MI offers advisory services and promotes awareness regarding the customization and transformation of biobased plastics and other advanced materials into final products. These efforts align with the goals of the bio-economy and circular economy. Since 2017, BIO-MI has been a full member of the Bioplastics Industry Consortium (BIC) and actively participates in several national Technology Innovation Boards.

Role in the project
In the BIOMAPS project, BIO-MI brings its expertise in blending biodegradable and biobased polymers to produce materials suitable for both flexible and rigid applications. BIO-MI is also tasked with the mechanical recycling of blends and products, where the most promising polymer compounds will be evaluated in terms of their reprocessability and recyclability.  Assessment will focus on PHA-based materials, including films and finished products. Following the initial characterization of these materials, BIO-MI will re-granulate the recycled content and reintegrate it into the production process using film extrusion equipment. The plan is to begin trials with 10 % recycled content and gradually increase it to 50 %. This step-by-step approach will enable to monitor how this change affects the quality of the films. Throughout this process, the goal is to maintain the material properties while limiting any loss to no more than 10 %. This will help to determine how many times materials could be reprocessed. Ultimately, this work aims to support the development of sustainable materials with strong recyclability performance.