Converting waste to a high value biodegradable plastic

Dr Kevin O’ Connor

School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science

Sustainability

“..meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Brundtland report 1987

Economic growth Linked to waste production (unsustainable)

Plastic Highly desired & highly problematic

Biodegradable plastic Compostable and high value uses

Integrating technologies The key to success

Sustainability and eco-innovation

A modern world enabled by plastics

A modern world full of plastic

0

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

35.000

Glass Plastic Paper andBoard

Metals Wood

Kton Packaging waste EU 25

Recycled EU 25

More emphasis on recycling of plastics needed (Peter Sundt Secretary General EPRO)

Waste recycling EU 25

0 20 40 60 80 100

Greece

Cyprus

Malta

Lithuania

Estonia

Poland

Latvia

Hungary

Ireland

Slovenia

United Kingdom

Czechia

Finland

Slovakia

Spain

Portugal

Italy

France

Norway

Netherlands

Luxemburg

Austria

Belgium

Germany

Denmark

Sweden

Switzerland

Recycling (1 - 33%) Energy Recovery (0 - 83%) Source: PlasticsEurope 2007

Recovery rates for plastic in Europe

Group of leading countries with recovery rates above 80%

Waste opportunity

Waste as a target– Increasing cost of waste management– Uncertainty about waste management in the future– Limited technologies for high value conversion– Low cost starting material

Petrochemical plastic wasteScientific academic challenge

Poor recycling ratesPS – 2% recycling rate in US (highest worldwide)PET- 25% recycling – collection system in operation PE – 10% recycling – Farm plastics – collection scheme

Petrochemical plastic Multi-purpose

(Non-biodegradable)Waste Landfill

UpcycleConvert to value added product

Recycle to petrochemical plasticlow value product relative to virgin material

Downcycling

New Markets

Strategy for upcycling plastic waste

ChemistryPyrolysis

PS, PET & others

Plastic upcycling to a biodegradable plastic

PET to PHA – patentedMixed plastic - patentedOther patents under development

PHA(Polyhydroxyalkanoate)

MicrobiologyFermentation

Bioplastic Opportunity

Biodegradable plastic – Premium product– Rapidly growing markets– Petrochemical US$ 300 billion market– Bioplastics 25% share of market by 2020

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA)– Packaging, agriculture, textiles, medicine– Biocompatible (biomedical implants/wound healing)– Highly desired by industry– One of 5 chemicals to change the world (Forbes)

EU lead market Initiative and Kok Report The production of a single (bio)product from waste or renewable resources (Single (bio)refinery) is not sustainable (Life cycle analysis)

Sole product mentality obsoleteBiofuels – bioethanol, biodieselBioplastics – Polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoateBiolubricants – plant oils

Need for integration of emerging technologiese.g. Biofuels and bioplastics

Technology integration: key to success

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

•University College Dublin

• Jasmina Nikodinovic

• Shane Kenny

• Miriam Goff

• Karen Tobin

• Patrick Ward

• Environmental Protection Agency Ireland

• Enterprise Ireland

• Nova UCD