A circular bio-based economy is a key element of a European low carbon economy and is projected to increasingly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions, decreased dependence on fossil resources and drive economic growth over the next decades. It can help meet the European Green Deal's goals, including its plan to reduce EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. It also contributes to other EU initiatives, including the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Biodiversity Strategy, Zero Pollution action plan and the Farm to Fork Strategy . EU biorefineries producing bio-based products are expected to be an important part of the circular bio-based economy. Moreover, deployment of biorefineries that utilise EU biomass will increase safe supply of raw materials, decrease emissions, and create jobs and business opportunities, especially in rural areas. Approximately 300 chemical and material driven biorefineries at commercial or demonstration scale are located in the EU . PROMOFER project will address the valorisation of two kinds of feedstock (lignocellulosic biomass and food industry waste) through the improvement of the fermentation processes and downstream purification. It will be produced 3 SSbD, circular bio-based products 1, 2) polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) to be used in geotextile nets applications (agriculture sector) and coated paper packaging applications (packaging sectors); 3) 2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BDO) to produce bio-based PU for the technical textile applications in the fashion industry sector. The integration of these waste streams as biorefinery feedstocks will allow reducing the volumes of landfilled waste, improving competitiveness, resource efficiency and opening new opportunities for the bioplastics production with added advantages of environmental performances and social acceptance.

ReBioCycle proves a portfolio of bioplastic sorting and recycling technologies within 3 complementary waste-processor-centric HUB at DEMO scale and in the real operational environment the effective and efficient recycling of 3x types of bioplastics (PLA, PHA, Mater-Bi) to demonstrate higher impact of obtaining the same or superior grade recycled polymers and other higher value applications. - NL HUB chemical technology upscaling to TRL 6. Using TORWASH technology to recycle PLA & PHA polymers (500 kg each. KPI: at least 1 m3 solution of monomers from each of PLA/PHA free of solids. The NCTP Group waste sorting site of Heerenveen (Friesland, NL) and TEC, PBM, Corbion will be involved. - IT HUB chemical technology upscaling to TRL 7. NOVAMONT technology will be used to recycle 600 kg of mixed composites including Mater-Bi. Also PHA from the NL and ES Hub will be tested in the IT HUB to blend into further Mater-Bi bioplastic formulations. IREN Group waste sorting site of Borgaro Torinese (Piedmont, Italy) and NOVAMONT’s new dedicated bioplastics recycling section within its Terni (IT) plant will be involved. - ES HUB Enzymatic recycling technology brought to TRL 6 , producing 50 kg within reactors of 200 litre s (CSIC (supported by AIMPLAS pre-treatment). Microbial recycling technology (by the AD “short-circuited” technology of GPB and UCD via pure culture fermentation ) brought to TRL 7 resulting outcomes 100kg rPHA (PHBV & PHBHx) and 20 kg rPHBV. Mechanical Technology upscaling to TRL 7 with the KPI level to be achieved 250 kg bioplastic recycle (TCD, AIMPLAS involved). HUB activities in SAV waste sorting site of Manises (Valencia, Spain). ReBioCycle will verify the industrial grade specifications by biopolymer brand owners and via demonstration of real-world products: durable (ARAPAHA: PLA) and multi-use packaging (SULAPAC: PHA and Mater-Bi). The LCA analysis by ARCHA and tailored D&E plan by partners EUBP and MAGFI will facilitate KER uptake.