ReBioCycle Pulse: Feature 4/2025 – Recycling the Future (Newsletter feature)

R e B i o C y c l e P uls e 644 su b s c r ibe rs S u b s c r ibed F ea tur e 4/2025 – S ort i n g bi opl a st ic s a t s ca l e i n T ur i n , JRC surv e y on r ec y c l i n g , e nzym a t ic r ec y c l i n g , a n d up c om i n g B i opl a st ic s R ec y c l i n g C lust e r t a l k s R e B i o C y c l e 1,351 f ollow e rs D ece m be r 4, 2025 1T he C i r c ul a r P l a st ic P l a nt o f A m ia t : S ort i n g bi opl a st ic s a t s ca l e AMIA T | G ruppo I r e n i s t he c omp a ny t ha t , f or ov e r fif ty y ea rs , ha s bee n c omm i tt ed to m aki n g T ur i n a n i n c r ea s i n g ly l i v eab l e , c l ea n , a n d sust ai n ab l e ci ty . A m ia t i s a p a rtn e r i n R e B i o C y c l e : A m ia t m a n age s so i l h y gie n e , w a st e c oll ec t i on , a n d di spos a l s e rv ice s i n a n i nt eg r a t ed m a nn e r , w i t h a ci r c ul a r p e rsp ec t i v e o f r ec ov e ry a n d v a lor i s a t i on . I n t he dai ly m a n age m e nt o f s e rv ice s , a s i n f utur e pl a nn i n g , A m ia t ad opts t he pr i n ci pl e s o f ci r c ul a r ec onomy a n d ec olo g y , r e spon di n g pro ac t i v e ly a n d effec t i v e ly to t he cha ll e n ge s o f prot ec t i n g t he t e rr i tory a n d pu b l ic hea lt h . A m ia t c oll ec ts 450.000 tons o f w a st e p e r y ea r , s e rv i n g 1.1 m i ll i on i n habi t a nts t h rou gh 19 c oll ec t i on s i t e s a n d fi v e pl a nts .  T he c omp a ny op e r a t e s a s e p a r a t e ur ba n w a st e c oll ec t i on t h rou gh out t he ci ty o f T ur i n i n two diffe r e nt mo de s : S tr ee t S e p a r a t e C oll ec t i on a n d H om e S e p a r a t e C oll ec t i on . T hi s i s di v ided i nto P ort a A P ort a a n d E c o - i sl a n d mo de s .  I n 2024, t he da t a f or t he w a st e c oll ec t i on i n T ur i n w e r e a s f ollows : I n a ll ca s e s , t he r e s id u a l bi opl a st ic c ont e nt i n t he s e p a r a t ed c oll ec t ed w a st e str ea ms w a s l i m i t ed a n d m a n ageab l e . I n t he ca s e o f “ pl a st ic ” a n d “ or ga n ic ” str ea ms , bi opl a st ic m a t e r ia ls w e r e pr e s e nt a t a c on ce ntr a t i on be low 2 % , w hi l e t he y w e r e pr e s e nt i n tr ace a mounts i n t he ca s e o f p a p e r , g l a ss a n d m e t a ls s e p a r a t e ly c oll ec t ed , a n d not pr e s e nt i n t he ca s e o f woo d a n d ot he r s e p a r a t e ly c oll ec t ed w a st e ( b ul k y , agg r ega t e s , W EEE , t e xt i l e ...). I nnov a t i n g t he c oll ec t i on : i mprov i n g t he qu a l i ty o f c oll ec t ed w a st e : O v e r t he p a st y ea r , A m ia t ha s i mpl e m e nt ed v a r i ous str a t egie s to e n ha n ce t he qu a l i ty o f s e l ec t ed w a st e a n d i s c urr e ntly c on d u c t i n g tr ia ls w i t h i m age r ec o g n i t i on t ech nolo g y to ga t he r da t a on t he typ e s o f w a st e i n bi ns , t hei r fi ll l e v e ls , a n d t he qu a l i ty o f sort ed m a t e r ia ls . A ddi t i on a lly , A m ia t ha s ide nt ified i nst a n ce s o f i mprop e r w a st e di spos a l i n t he v ici n i ty o f d umpst e rs . T he n e xt st e p f or A m ia t w a s to us e t he i n f orm a t i on to r efi n e t he be st c oll ec t i on p a t ch b y pro ce ss i n g da t a c oll ec t ed f or each us e r to r e s ched ul e c oll ec t i on rout e s , a n d to a ss e ss t he e volut i on ov e r t i m e o f t he qu a l i ty o f S e p a r a t e W a st e C oll ec t i on . A m ia t , I . BL U sort i n g pl a nt a t B or ga ro T or i n e s e : T he C i r c ul a r P l a st ic P l a nt : T he pl a nt o cc up ie s ci r ca 76.000 squ a r e m e t e rs a n d ha s a n a r ea o f ci r ca 20.000 squ a r e m e t e rs . I t i s i n t he nort h o f T ur i n , i n B or ga ro T or i n e s e . T he pl a nt us e s t he f ollow i n g t ech nolo gie s : 1 bag op e n e r m achi n e , 2 rot a ry s c r ee ns , 4 ba ll i st ic s c r ee ns , 22 opt ica l r eade rs , 124 c onv e yor be lts , a n d 2 ba l i n g pr e ss e s . I t ca n pro ce ss 100.000 tons / y ea r ( a ut h or i s ed pro ce ss i n g ca p aci ty ), w i t h a m a x i mum s e l ec t i on r a t e o f 17 tons / h our , 2.430 tons o f i nput pl a st ic stor age , a n d 11.210 tons o f output pl a st ic stor age . T he r e a r e st i ll e mploy ee s a t t he pl a nt wor ki n g to support sort i n g t he w a st e . C urr e ntly , A m ia t , i n c oll ab or a t i on w i t h I r e n ' s I nnov a t i on D i r ec tor a t e , i s t e st i n g ad v a n ced t ech nolo gie s a n d so f tw a r e to support op e r a tors r e spons ib l e f or t he qu a l i t a t i v e a ss e ssm e nt o f m a t e r ia ls d ownstr ea m o f t he a utom a t ic c l ea n i n g a n d sort i n g syst e ms . T he s e solut i ons ai m to e n ha n ce t he acc ur ac y a n d efficie n c y o f qu a l i ty check s f ollow i n g t he a utom a t ed pro ce ss i n g st age . W i t hi n R e B i o C y c l e , t he i nput w a st e f rom t he C i r c ul a r P l a st ic P l a nt ha s bee n a ss e ss ed to v e r if y polym e r c ompos i t i ons a n d qu a nt ifica t i ons , a n d to gi v e sp ecia l a tt e nt i on to t he bi o deg r adab l e pl a st ic c ont e nt t h rou gh s ched ul ed a n a lys e s o f pl a st ic w a st e . 2.000 tons o f i nput w a st e ha v e bee n pro ce ss ed d ur i n g t he s e t e sts , r e sult i n g i n a qu a nt ifica t i on o f t he c ont e nt o f bi opl a st ic s a t 0,51 % ± 0,19 % . F rom A pr i l to S e pt e m be r 2025, t he R e B i o C y c l e p a rtn e rs G ruppo I r e n a n d N ov a mont c oll ab or a t ed a t t he pl a nt to de v e lop a N ea r I n f r a r ed ( NIR ) da t aba s e to ide nt if y r igid a n d f l e x ib l e bi opl a st ic s i n r ea l - worl d pl a st ic w a st e . T he ac t i v i ty ha s bee n us i n g v i r gi n bi opl a st ic i t e ms b y l e v e r agi n g a pr e - lo aded bi opl a st ic r ec o g n i t i on so f tw a r e a n d i nt eg r a t i n g i t w i t h diffe r e nt typ e s o f sp ec tr a o b t ai n ed f rom v i r gi n bi opl a st ic sp eci m e ns a n d r ea l bi opl a st ic i t e ms r ec ov e r ed m a nu a lly f rom t he pl a st ic w a st e str ea m . T he fi rst f ull - s ca l e NIR sort i n g ac t i v i ty w a s su cce ss f ully p e r f orm ed . T he f ollow i n g t e sts w e r e p e r f orm ed w i t h ac tu a l pl a nt runs , t e st i n g i ts ca p aci ty to s e l ec t bi opl a st ic s a n d c r ea t i n g a da t a s e t on i nput qu a nt i ty a n d bi opl a st ic s output . T he bi opl a st ic s a mpl e w a s efficie ntly s e l ec t ed a t t he f ull - s ca l e l e v e l , w hi l e m a t e r ia ls diffe r e nt f rom bi opl a st ic s w e r e r e mov ed a n d qu a nt ified . F ig . 1: T ech nolo gie s us ed a t t he C i r c ul a r P l a st ic P l a nt . S our ce : A m ia t . V ide o : T he bi opl a st ic c onv e yor be lt a t t he C i r c ul a r P l a st ic P l a nt , T ur i n ( I T ). S our ce : A m ia t , edi ts b y E urop ea n B i opl a st ic s . 2J o i nt R e s ea r ch C e ntr e  surv e y on m echa n ica l , p h ys ica l , a n d che m ica l r ec y c l i n g t ech nolo gie s a t T RL 9 f or pl a st ic p ackagi n g . T he J o i nt R e s ea r ch C e ntr e  ha s l a un ched a surv e y on m echa n ica l , p h ys ica l , a n d che m ica l r ec y c l i n g t ech nolo gie s f or pl a st ic p ackagi n g . F ig . 2: F rom ide nt ifica t i on o f r igid a n d f l e x ib l e pl a st i s to sort i n g . T he bi opl a st ic s a mpl e w a s pos i t i v e ly s e l ec t ed a t t he f ull - s ca l e l e v e l . S our ce : A m ia t . T he JRC i s support i n g t he P ackagi n g a n d P ackagi n g W a st e R eg ul a t i on ( E U 2025/40) , a n d mor e sp ecifica lly , t he  de v e lopm e nt o f i mpl e m e nt i n g ac ts un de r i ts A rt ic l e 7, b y a ss e ss i n g t he ec onom ic a n d e nv i ronm e nt a l p e r f orm a n ce o f pl a st ic p ackagi n g r ec y c l i n g t ech nolo gie s . Y our i nput w i ll he lp b u i l d a c ompr ehe ns i v e da t a i nv e ntory t ha t w i ll i n f orm pol ic ym aki n g .” F or each pl a st ic p ackagi n g ca t eg ory , t he y a r e c oll ec t i n g da t a on : ✔ I nput / output qu a nt i t ie s & cha r ac t e r i st ic s ✔ R e sour ce s us ed ✔ C osts & r e v e nu e s T he JRC i s loo ki n g f or da t a f rom op e r a t i on a l i n d ustr ia l r ec y c l i n g i nst a ll a t i ons ( T RL 9). D ead l i n e to r e ply to t he surv e y i s 12 J a nu a ry 2026. T o acce ss t he surv e y , v i s i t t hi s L i n ked I n post : h ttps :// www . l i n kedi n . c om / feed / up da t e / urn : l i : ac t i v i ty :7394367043099303936/ T hi s typ e o f c ontr ib ut i on i s ke y to b r i n gi n g bi opl a st ic s r ec y c l i n g to t he f or e a t i ts c urr e nt st a t e o f pl a y , so t ha t t he pol ic y d oor i s not c los ed to t he m . 3E nzym a t ic r ec y c l i n g o f PHA i n R e B i o C y c l e : A cha t w i t h L a ur a de E u ge n i o ( CSIC ) A n e w pu b l ica t i on b y L a ur a de E u ge n i o a n d c oll eag u e s i s a v ai l ab l e on N e w B i ot ech nolo g y , i n op e n acce ss . O ur r e s ea r ch i n R e B i o C y c l e ha s ai m ed to e xplor e t he poss ibi l i t ie s o f e nzym a t ic r ec y c l i n g o f PHA un de r c on di t i ons t ha t r e s e m b l e pr ac t ica l a ppl ica t i ons . W e wor ked w i t h e nzym e s o b t ai n ed t h rou gh he t e rolo g ous e xpr e ss i on syst e ms a n d a ppl ied t he m w i t h out pur ifica t i on to kee p t he pro ce ss c los e r to s ca l ab l e pro d u c t i on s che m e s . T he m a t e r ia l w a s e x a m i n ed i n b ot h i ts or igi n a l f orm a n d af t e r pr e tr ea tm e nts t ha t a lt e r i ts stru c tur e a n d sur face prop e rt ie s , a llow i n g us to s ee h ow su ch cha n ge s affec t i ts i nt e r ac t i on w i t h e nzym e s . T h rou gh out t he wor k , w e f ollow ed t he ge n e r a t i on o f solu b l e pro d u c ts a s a s i mpl e i n dica tor o f pro g r e ss i n de polym e r i s a t i on . R a t he r t ha n f o c us i n g on m a x i m i s i n g i n di v id u a l p a r a m e t e rs , t he i nt e nt i on w a s to un de rst a n d h ow t he diffe r e nt e l e m e nts , su ch a s e nzym e pr e p a r a t i on , polym e r c on di t i on i n g , a n d pro d u c t r ec ov e ry , fi t to ge t he r i n a s i n g l e pro ce ss . T hi s prov ide s a fi rst st e p tow a r d e v a lu a t i n g fea s ibi l i ty , w hi l e a lso high l igh t i n g a sp ec ts t ha t w i ll r e qu i r e lon ge r - t e rm i nnov a t i on bef or e t he a ppro ach ca n be tr a nsl a t ed i nto l a r ge r - s ca l e pr ac t ice . R e sour ce s : J os é D . J i m é n e z , M a nu e l S . G o d oy , C a rlos de l C e rro , M . A ux i l iad or a P r ie to ,  H i nts f rom n a tur e f or a PHA ci r c ul a r ec onomy : C a r b on synt he s i s a n d s ha r i n g b y P s e u d omon a s sol a n i GK 13, N e w B i ot ech nolo g y , V olum e 84, 2024, h ttps :// d o i . or g /10.1016/ j . n b t .2024.09.002 . A b out L a ur a de E u ge n i o : L a ur a de E u ge n i o  i s a s e n i or r e s ea r che r a t t he C e nt e r f or B i olo gica l R e s ea r ch ( CIB ). CIB i s on e o f t he most pr e st igi ous a n d hi stor ica l r e s ea r ch ce nt e rs o f t he S p a n i s h N a t i on a l R e s ea r ch C oun ci l ( CSIC ). L a ur a ʼ s pro fi l e i s on G oo g l e S ch ol a r . F i n d out mor e ab out L a ur a ʼ s a n d CIB ʼ s rol e i n R e B i o C y c l e : a 3m i nut e i nt e rv ie w . 4B i opl a st ic s R ec y c l i n g C lust e r t a l k s i n 2026: PLA sort i n g , m ic ro bia l r ec y c l i n g a n d high l igh ts on e m e r gi n g ce rt ifica t i on s che m e s f or r ec y c l i n g A r e you a n e xp e rt i n r ec y c l i n g o f bi opl a st ic s , or sort i n g or c oll ec t i n g ?  A r e you wor ki n g on t hi s top ic a n d woul d l ike to e x cha n ge w i t h p ee rs ? L oo k no f urt he r , t hi s s e r ie s o f t a l k s i s f or you !  J o i n our c ommun i ty o f e xp e rts , w e ha v e t h r ee e x ci t i n g up c om i n g t a l k s i n J a nu a ry , F eb ru a ry a n d M a r ch : T u e s da y 13 J a nu a ry 2026: PLA sort i n g mo de l S p eake r : W a n g L i , U n i v . G he nt , PROSPER T u e s da y 3 F eb ru a ry 2026: M ic ro bia l r ec y c l i n g f or bi opl a st ic s S p eake r : J o a o S ous a , P a qu e s B i om a t e r ia ls , R e B i o C y c l e T u e s da y 3 M a r ch 2026: T he ce rt ifica t i on s che m e OK R ec y c l ed ce rt ifica t i on a n d l abe ll i n g S p eake r :  G i ul ia F i n a zz i , TÜV A ustr ia I t a ly – R e B i o C y c l e  a n d M o e BIOS ad v i sor R egi str a t i on on t hi s p age : h ttps :// www . e v e nt b r i t e . c om / cc / bi opl a st ic s - r ec y c l i n g - c lust e r - t a l k s -4428313 T he s e r ie s st a rt ed i n S e pt e m be r 2025 a n d c ont i nu e s unt i l M a r ch 2026. A s ec on d edi t i on w i ll r e sum e i n S e pt e m be r 2026 w i t h a n e w ca l e n da r o f t a l k s ! R egi str a t i on on t hi s p age S ul a p ac on D e s ig n f or R ec y c l i n g a t t he B i opl a st ic s R ec y c l i n g C lust e r t a l k i n N ov e m be r L a ur a T i r kk on e n - R aja s a lo , o f S ul a p ac L t d , s ha r ed he r e xp e r ie n ce ad vo ca t i n g w i t h t he C oun ci l , t he E urop ea n C omm i ss i on , a n d t he P a rl ia m e nt i n t he j ourn e y to i n c lu de bi o deg r adab l e pl a st ic s i n t he PP W R . A b out S ul a p ac bec om i n g r ec y c l ab l e h ttps :// z e no d o . or g / r ec or d s /17529015 P r e s e nt a t i on on D e s ig n f or R ec y c l i n g c r i t e r ia f or bi opl a st ic s p ackagi n g , a pr e s e nt a t i on b y E urop ea n B i opl a st ic s h ttps :// z e no d o . or g / r ec or d s /17524013 R ec or di n g o f t he s e ss i on : h ttps :// youtu . be / IN o T j -7 pl f s G e t to k now mor e ab out R e B i o C y c l e V i s i t us : www . r ebi o c y c l e . e u L i n ked I n : h ttps :// www . l i n kedi n . c om / c omp a ny / r ebi o c y c l e / Z e no d o : h ttps :// z e no d o . or g / c ommun i t ie s / r ebi o c y c l e / A ck nowl edge m e nt o f f un di n g R e B i o C y c l e ha s r ecei v ed f un di n g f rom t he C i r c ul a r B i o - ba s ed J o i nt U n de rt aki n g ( J U ) a n d i ts m e m be rs un de r G r a nt A g r ee m e nt N o . 101156032 o f t he E urop ea n U n i on ʼ s H or i zon E urop e r e s ea r ch a n d i nnov a t i on pro g r a mm e . T he J U r ecei v e s support f rom t he E urop ea n U n i on ʼ s H or i zon E urop e r e s ea r ch a n d i nnov a t i on pro g r a mm e a n d t he B i o - ba s ed I n d ustr ie s C onsort i um . D i s c l ai m e r F un ded b y t he E urop ea n U n i on . V ie ws a n d op i n i ons e xpr e ss ed a r e t h os e o f t he a ut h or ( s ) only a n d d o not n ece ss a r i ly r ef l ec t t h os e o f t he E urop ea n U n i on or CBE J U . N ei t he r t he E urop ea n U n i on nor t he CBE J U ca n be he l d r e spons ib l e f or t he m .