The consortium blends the scientific and technical expertise provided by universities and R&D centres, and the support of innovative plastic companies, sustainability certification experts and packaging industry representatives. Altogether, 9 partners from 5 different European countries: France, UK, Belgium, Portugal and Spain are involved in the project. The multidisciplinary team is made up of the following key associations at European level: AINIA (project coordinator), the Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research (CIB-CSIC), NOVA id, King’s College London, NAITEC, NaturePlast, Polykey Polymers SL, Normec OWS and Packaging Cluster.
AINIA
AINIA is a leading Spanish technology centre with more than 35 years of experience in R&D&I. This experience is leveraged to provide innovative solutions and technological services that boost the competitiveness of companies working in agrifood, packaging, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
AINIA operates worldwide using its own expertise and an extensive network of contacts and partnerships with major public and private entities. Its work spans sustainable development, food safety, circular economy solutions, and advanced industrial processing. The centre is firmly committed to continuous innovation and collaborative development, which reflects in around 260 innovation projects performed every year in collaboration with over 1.800 companies.
AINIA takes the coordination of the project and will lead the development of innovative chemical depolymerisation processes and the processing of the new plastic formulations into packaging product prototypes. Furthermore, they will be responsible for Open Science, Data Management, IPR and Innovation management.
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MARGARITA SALAS CENTRE FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH CIB-CSIC
The Margarita Salas Centre for Biological Research, part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), is one of Spain’s leading public research institutions. Its Department of Biotechnology investigates how living organisms interact with their environment, combining molecular, cellular, and whole-organism approaches.
The Polymer Biotechnology Group focuses on exploiting bacterial metabolism to produce and degrade bioplastics, contributing essential knowledge and tools for sustainable materials and circular bioeconomy solutions.
Their role in the project is leading work package 3 on “PHA cell-living upcycling system and biotic production”, which includes work on PHA depolymerisation with living cells system and bio-additives design for PHA material with controlled self-degrading properties. Additionally, they participate in work package 6 on the “Inclusion of enzyme-protectant capsules in plastic formulations” to make these controlled self-degrading properties for the bioplastic work under real-life conditions. This research will clearly be another crucial step towards the circularity and sustainability of these types of bioplastic materials.
WebNOVAID
Associação para a Inovação e Desenvolvimento da FCT (NOVAid) is a non-profit association linked to the Faculty of Science and Technology at NOVA University Lisbon. One of its research units, UCIBIO, hosts the Biochemical Engineering group (BIOENG), which conducts high-level research in Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology, focusing on waste valorisation and the production and characterisation of biopolymers such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and microbial polysaccharides.
In this project, their role is to contribute to the development of a lab-scale system for biotic PHA repolymerisation and fine-tuning polymer properties.
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NAITEC
NAITEC is the Technology Centre for Mobility and Mechatronics of Navarre, dedicated to becoming an international reference in sustainable technological development for these sectors. The centre enhances the competitiveness of companies by providing innovative, environmentally responsible solutions tailored to global markets.
NAITEC also leads in the development of sustainable materials, designing advanced formulations for inks, coatings, and adhesives that follow eco-design and circular-economy principles. Its state-of-the-art laboratories for materials and nanomaterials offer comprehensive testing and characterisation to ensure optimal performance.
Their role in the project is to develop a bio-adhesive using iPHA blends for application on cellulose-based sustrates and validate their adhesion performance over fruit peels.
WebNATURE PLAST
NaturePlast is a pioneer in the development, production, and commercialisation of biobased and biodegradable plastic solutions. In 2010, the company created its subsidiary BioPolyNov, now recognised worldwide as a key R&D centre specialising in innovative biopolymer materials.
NaturePlast’s expertise lies in creating new formulations through blending biopolymers with other materials and additives using twin-screw extrusion at laboratory and pilot scale. Based in Caen, Normandy, the company continues to expand its facilities and capabilities to support the growing demand for sustainable plastics.
Their role in the project is to develop blends based on recycled PHA and to formulate them, so they have a better processability as well as tailored properties.
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POLYKEY POLYMERS
Polykey Polymers emerged in 2020 as a spin-off of POLYMAT and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The company combines polymer production with R&D services across three strategic areas: biobased polymers, chemical recycling, and innovative energy-storage materials.
With strong scientific expertise in organic and polymer chemistry and access to advanced equipment, Polykey aims to contribute decisively to the future of sustainable polymer technologies through innovation and long-term vision.
POLYKEY’s objective in the project is to develop a novel polymerisation platform technology to convert monomers obtained from the recycling of wastes into novel innovative Poly(hydroxy acid)s with improved properties for food packaging applications.
WebNORMEC OWS
Normec OWS is a globally recognised testing laboratory with more than 35 years of experience in biodegradability, ecotoxicity, and organic recycling assessments. Equipped with over 3,500 testing reactors, the company can evaluate materials under all relevant natural environments.
Normec OWS works in alignment with major certification bodies and contributes to the development of international standards within ISO, CEN, and ASTM, ensuring scientific rigor and global credibility.
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PACKAGING CLUSTER
The Packaging Cluster is a non-profit organization that was established in 2012 by Catalan companies and now has more than 150 active members, including companies, knowledge centers, and entities representing the entire value chain of the packaging sector. The main objective of the organization is to help improve the competitiveness of its member companies, with the aim of addressing the challenges of the current context, promoting innovation, and generating new business opportunities.
Their role in the project is to lead the overall communication and dissemination strategy, ensuring that the project’s value, objectives, and progress are clearly conveyed. They act as the link between the consortium and the wider public, increasing awareness of the environmental challenge addressed. At the same time, they engage key stakeholders across science, industry, and public authorities to foster visibility, understanding, and uptake of the project’s outcomes.
WebKING'S COLLEGE LONDON
King’s College London is a world-renowned university known for outstanding education and cutting-edge research. Within SATISPHACTION, two of its research groups—the MMLab and the Matta Group—bring expertise in computational chemistry, multiscale modelling, data-driven materials discovery, artificial intelligence, machine learning and polymer simulations.
Their work supports the design of next-generation of sustainable materials through advanced supercomputing and AI-driven computer simulations.
Their role in the project is to develop a computational platform for designing new PHAs using machine learning, and to simulate polymerisation and de-polymerisation processes in close collaboration with the experimental partners in the consortium.
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