Aimplas, is carrying out the Enzplast project, supported by the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), whose main objective is developing new processes more sustainable for the manufacturing, recycling and composting of plastics.
Cofounded by EU ERDF funds within the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme for the Valencian Region, the Enzplast project pursues three objectives.
The first one is related to the challenge of implementing synthetic routes to obtain plastics safer for the health of people and eco-friendlier. For that purpose, enzymes will be used instead of metal catalysts, which have an associated toxicity.
AIMPLAS - Charo Pascual
The organisation says these solutions involve other advantages in the polymerisation process, since they require reaction temperatures lower than those required when using conventional catalysis and they minimise the use of organic solvents with the subsequent reduction in emissions.
A procedure to use it in the recycling process is being developed, in which enzymes will be incorporated in the washing stage to remove its odour and its efficiency in the separation of multilayer materials will be studied, which are currently relevant challenges.
Lastly, the effectiveness of different enzymes in the biodegradation process for several different bioplastics is being studied. For this, the selected enzymes will be added into the biodegradation process both under aerobic and anaerobic digestion conditions.
