Final event RECOVER, BIZENTE, ENZYCLE

“Three bio paths one solution for plastic”, final event of our project that we celebrate together with Bizente and Enzycle and that will take place in Madrid on the 9th and 10th of April at La Corrala Cultural Centre. The event is the result of a collaborative effort between the BIZENTE, ENZYCLE and RECOVER projects, all dedicated to tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time: plastic pollution.

 During this meeting, the main achievements and results of enzyme-based plastic degradation, a leading edge in the search for sustainable solutions for the treatment of plastic waste, will be presented. Participants will have the opportunity to discover how these solutions have been applied in different contexts:

 BIZENTE: Application of enzymes to solve end-of-life problems of thermoset composite plastics.

ENZYCLE: Microbial enzymes for the treatment of non-recycled plastic fractions.

 RECOVER: Development of innovative biotic symbioses for biodegradation and synthesis of plastics, addressing end-of-life challenges in the agricultural and food industries.

We will explore critical issues such as the identification of potential enzymes for different approaches, whether multi-enzyme cascades or single enzymes, the required and feasible conversion rates, the directed evolution of enzymes to adapt their “appetite” for specific types of plastic, and the use of selected microorganisms in combination with enzymes to maximise plastic degradation.

In addition, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities in the enzymatic recycling process, including costs, the impact of material pre-treatments on degradation efficiency, and the role of biodegradable materials and organic recycling in a sustainable economy.

Not least, we will address the topic of reuse and upcycling, examining the quality requirements for recycled plastic monomers, the technical challenges in converting these monomers into new products and the possibilities for innovative applications, such as insect waste composites and chitin/chitin coated materials.

This event is not only a celebration of achievements, but also an invitation to continue collaborating in the search for sustainable solutions for plastic waste management.

In addition, there will be a poster session, which will be on display during the two-day event.

Check the full agenda