BIOFAST (Methodological strategies for the accelerated biodegradation of bioplastics in compost settings) has achieved to reduce significantly the time required for testing biodegradation of compost bioplastics.
It has been made through the combined application of methods that accelerate the process, such as the enrichment of the compost with agro-industrial by-products and application of abiotic pre-treatment technologies to bioplastics (plasma, UV, etc.).
This advance, eases the development and validation of new compostable bioplastics, which reduces costs and times and promotes circular economy. Main goal: To reduce significantly the time required for testing biodegradation of compost bioplastics.
1st Method: Enrichment of compost setting with agro-industrial by-products which boosts microbial activity.
2nd Method: Application of abiotic pre-treatments (such as plasma and UV radiation) to bioplastics in order to partially degrade them before compost.
Coordination
The project was directed by AIMPLAS and had the participation of MATS group, from the Universitat de València and Prime Biopolymers.
Impact and results
- Acceleration of the process: It enables a faster biodegradation of the bioplastics which are in compost conditions.
- Materials development:Facilitates the validation of new compostable bioplastics, reducing the development costs
- Sustainability: Improves composting plants’ efficiency and promotes a circular economy, as it recovers bioplastics faster.
In the video participate Johanna Andrade, researcher of Biodegradation and Compostability in AIMPLAS and José Badía, professor of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universitat de València and supervisor of MATS Research Group.
BIOFAST project was born from the collaboration between AIMPLAS and Materials Technology and Sustainability Group (www.uv.es/mats)of the Universitat de València, and it is financed by IVACE+i with FEDER funds.
