ECOSYSTEM – New eco-active materials obtained through sustainable processes from natural and renewable waste.
ECOSYSTEM is an initiative funded by the European Union, selected in Challenge 3 of the Pathfinder programme. The project is inspired by an ecosystem and its dynamics, where residual biomass, raw materials, monomers, polymers and end products will form a value chain that interacts thanks to the use of sustainable tools.
Biopolymers are expected to attract greater market attention over the next 5 to 10 years, and this demand is also expected to increase proportionally in the agri-food sector, where the use of plastics is intensive in products such as agricultural mulching and food packaging. Although demand is driven by EU regulations (European Green Deal, Circular Economy Plan, EU Bioeconomy Strategy, etc.), plastic-based products represent a major challenge as they require specific and unique properties for food preservation and environmental safety, including degradability and reusability.
| Financial Framework: Horizon Europe – EIC Pathfinder | Call: HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-011 | Budget: 3,933,653,13€ |
| Duration: 1 October 2025 – 30 September 2029 | Web: ecosystem-he.eu | Grant Agreement Nº: 101223300 |
To address this challenge, the EU-funded ECOSYSTEM project seeks to develop a new generation of biopolyesters using building blocks prepared using sustainable technologies. These blocks will be obtained from natural resources through a biorefinery approach, ensuring a fully sustainable production process.
In addition, the ECOSYSTEM project will use polymers extracted from nature, such as cellulose and lignin; polymers inspired by nature, including microbial, fungal and plant materials; and synthetic polymers from bio-based monomers and raw materials synthesised by mechanochemistry from building blocks.
The materials developed in ECOSYSTEM will be used in the manufacture of semi-rigid packaging (clamshell cases for perishable fruit) and flexible packaging (pharmaceutical blister packs), and their barrier properties will be investigated.
Finally, multifunctional mulching sheets will be designed and prepared.
Funded by the European Union. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
