UPLIFT – sUstainable PLastIcs for the Food and drink packaging industry

Every year, the EU generates more than 20 million tons of plastic waste, but less than 30 % is recycled. The EU-funded UPLIFT project is developing scalable enzymatic and microbial degradation processes to selectively depolymerize and upcycle plastic packaging waste currently considered unrecyclable. Eco-design of renewable and easy-recyclable eco-polymers will pave the way to a sustainable plastic system, making packaging an available feedstock for the circular economy, also thanks to a biorefinery approach. The Bio Pilot Plant department focus on the scale-up and production of all relevant enzymes to break down the polymers into monomers. Moreover, bioprocesses will be developed for the microbial production of new monomers to generate easy-recyclable eco-polymers.

Staff

Gundela Peschel
Lars Regestein
Henrike Scharstein
Karsten Willing

Funding