MAIN ACTIONS

LIFE EBP has five main actions to be carried out in five EU countries by 15 partners.

Action 1: Producing BPs/IR in Italy, Spain, Greece and Cyprus by mobile prototype.

The coordinating beneficiary constructs the mobile prototype to process municipal biowaste (MBW) and obtain soluble biobased products (BPs) and insoluble residues (IR). The Mobile Prototype, with 5 kt/yr BPs/IR production capacity, is mounted on skid for easy transportation to and process replication at the four countries’ sites using local MBW.

The plan measures effect of local MBW yearly variability on BPs quality/performance.

In the second half of the project the mobile prototype operates to obtain BPs and IR in enough quantities to assess products' marketability.

Action 2: BPs testing.

In each country, BPs and IR obtained from local MBW are tested in local plants’ cultivation (e.g. tomato, apple, kiwi, water-melo, rice, onions). Tests are run in 3000 m2 soil plots with 5-50 BPs kg/ha dose, in comparison with plot cultivated by farmers’ traditional commercial products.

In the second half of the project BPs are used to manufacure plastics and detergents formulates.

Products are given to products to selected groups of customers operating in the agriculture, plastics and detergents sectors to assess products' marketability.

Action 3. Life cycle environmental (LCA) and economic (LCC) assessment.

Process/products LCA/LCC are carried out using Action 1-2 and bibliography data to estimate relevant impact categories and most relevant CAPEX and OPEX costs and benefits of LIFE EBP technology.

Action 4. Process/product regulatory certification (RCA) and social life cycle (S-LCA) assessment.

S-LCA involves stakeholder mapping, analysis and ‘value items’ validation, proper impact categories and indicators.

RCA studies potential regulatory/certification and REACH registration issues inherent to BPs production and uses.

Registration dossiers are prepared to be submitted to national authorities.

Action 5. Management and Dissemination.

Financial, contractual, administrative aspects are managed. Project progress is monitored.

Specific actions are carried out to exploit/disseminate results by identifying and contacting potential stakeholders.A special task is involving policy makers in updating.

Actions 1-4 data and Mobile Prototype availability are key elements to achieve real BPs/IR industrialisation by involving relevant actors in the project addressed industrial sectors.