AGROBIOCAT

Formulations for the development of biodegradable and compostable cutlery and biodegradable and compostable mulch fabric.

 

Description

The AGROBIOCAT project set itself the ambitious goal of finding formulations for alternative and innovative solutions to redesign certain products with an eco-design perspective, reconsidering their use and disposal from a circular perspective, consuming as few resources as possible, and using biobased and biodegradable materials for applications where there is a risk of accumulating non-biodegradable residues in organic waste or soil. The companies involved in the project focused their research on formulations for the development of biodegradable and compostable products (cutlery) and soil-biodegradable products (mulch film) of plant origin, with a sustainable approach that considers not only technical-economic aspects but also environmental quality, societal and territorial impact, and product safety.

Result to be enhanced

Compostable products have great potential in all sectors where recycling operations are complex or impractical due to the simultaneous use of different materials and contamination from food waste. In these cases, the use of compostable bioplastics allows such products, along with their contents, to be disposed of in the organic waste collection stream. This contributes to the production of high-quality compost that enhances soil fertility and improves the recyclability of other waste streams. Biodegradable bioplastics that decompose in soil, on the other hand, are essential for applications with a high rate of environmental dispersion, such as in agriculture.

Why is it important?

Compostable tableware can be disposed of with organic waste along with food scraps, making it an ideal solution for simplifying collective catering waste management, not negatively impacting compost quality, and improving the quality of paper and plastic recycling by reducing landfill use. The soil-biodegradable mulch film, for example, can be worked into the soil at the end of the cultivation cycle, where it biodegrades through microbial action without posing any risk to ecosystems or leaving plastic residues in the soil. This way, the farmer avoids removal costs, and landfill disposal is unnecessary.