Science

A consortium of industrial and technology companies has launched the Back2Back project to improve the reuse and recycling of used technical products. Partners include Grundfos, Danfoss and DSV, alongside further industry and research organisations. The initiative focuses on extending product lifecycles and reducing material losses through new recovery systems.

A new German-Austrian research project investigates the biodegradation of compostable plastic fragments in the soil under real conditions. The focus is on the question of how quickly fragments of certified compostable plastic films degrade when they enter the soil via the compost.

Aimplas has obtained ABA and JBPA recognition for biodegradation and compostability testing, enabling certification processes for plastic products intended for the Australian and Japanese markets.

Researchers from Tokyo University of Science have characterized a thermophilic cutinase enzyme to better understand how biocatalysts can operate under conditions relevant to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling. The study examines how structural stability and local flexibility are balanced to maintain catalytic activity at elevated temperatures.

The European Union has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared with 1990 levels. Between 2023 and 2024, emissions declined by a further 3%, according to data submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and analysed by the European Environment Agency. The greenhouse gas inventory was compiled and reported by the agency on behalf of the EU in April.

Aimplas is coordinating the VEGANCELIO project, which focuses on converting organic waste into higher-value materials for industrial applications.

Aimplas is coordinating IRION, a European research and innovation project focused on establishing a circular green hydrogen value chain. The initiative addresses the increasing dependence on critical raw materials associated with the expansion of hydrogen technologies in Europe by developing strategies for recovery, reuse and reintegration of key materials.

The EU-funded BioSupPack project has demonstrated that brewery waste can be converted into biobased plastics for packaging applications. Over a five-year period, the consortium developed and validated polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) materials and production processes as alternatives to fossil-based plastics. The results support compliance with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

The European research project GEAR-UP addresses circular manufacturing with the objective of achieving measurable environmental and technical improvements. The project targets a circular manufacturing CO₂ reduction of 25–50%, alongside reductions in material waste of 25–30% and component weight of up to 30%.

Climate-resilient agriculture can contribute to maintaining productivity and stabilising farm incomes while supporting food security and ecosystems in Europe. This is the conclusion of a recent briefing by the European Environment Agency (EEA), which emphasises the need for targeted investment and improved governance to support the transition at farm level.

Jeonbuk National University researchers have investigated how pyrolysis temperature influences the environmental safety of sewage sludge from chemical-enhanced primary treatment (CEPT). The results indicate that controlling the pyrolysis temperature is …