Page 49 - Plastics News March 2025
P. 49
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
International seminar on biotechnology
applied to the plastics sector
legislative support for the sector. Next, Filippo
Giancarlo Martinelli of MAGFI reviewed the main
recycling technologies for bioplastics and pre-
sented research projects such as ReBioCycle,
which aims to integrate bioplastics into the cir-
cular economy through efficient separation and
recycling technologies for these materials. Fi-
nally, Jesús Agüero of BIOVAL recalled that the
first biotech company was created in Valencia
in 2002. Since then, the association has been
working to address common challenges with the
bioplastics sector, such as transfer, regulation,
and funding. He also highlighted that, for the first
time, biotechnology has been included as a stra-
or two days, Aimplas organised and host- tegic sector in the Valencian government’s rein-
ed the second edition of the International dustrialisation strategy.
FSeminar on Biotechnology Applied to the
Plastics Sector in Valencia, bringing together one The second session of the first day focused on
hundred international specialists in biotechnol- the production of bioplastics from waste, with
ogy and sustainability. A panel of twenty speak- Caterina Coll from PERSEO BIOTECHNOLOGY
ers presented the innovations being developed explaining some of the company’s projects and
by their organisations and addressed the main patents for the valorisation of organic waste.
challenges facing the sector, as well as its contri- These range from complex urban cellulose-
butions to society and the economy. based wastes to residues from the agri-food
industry, which they have successfully con-
The event began with a session on Plastics and verted into high value-added products such as
the Bioeconomy, in which Lorette Du Preez of bioethanol, bioethylene and CO2, as well as oth-
EUROPEAN BIOPLASTICS highlighted the oppor- er by-products such as feed, compost, and bi-
tunities that legislation such as the Global Plas- ofertilisers. Pablo Ferrero, senior biotechnology
tics Treaty or the Circular Economy Act presents researcher at AIMPLAS, then highlighted how
for these materials. She also highlighted how bi- biopolymers can help reduce pollution, carbon
oplastics can improve the efficiency of sectors footprint and dependence on fossil resources.
such as agriculture and, more broadly, their po- He explained some of the research carried out
tential in an economy and society increasingly by the Technology Centre in the biotechnologi-
committed to bio-based and biodegradable ma- cal synthesis of these materials and their appli-
terials. In terms of barriers, she spoke of costs cations in sectors such as agriculture. Rosa Puig,
and insufficient demand, and called for greater
March 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 49
