Applications BioSinn
Applications BioSinn Products for which biodegradation makes sense By: Verena Bauchmüller Communication Manager Dissemination, Communication, Project Management Nova Institute Hürth, Germany B ioSinn project by nova-Institute focuses specifically on applications for which collection or recycling is not or hardly possible in practice The initial question, nova-Institute’s CEO Michael Carus asked himself and his employees, was answered quickly: When does biodegradation make ecological sense? When collecting and recycling is almost impossible! But the following questions were tricky: to which products does this apply and – after thinking the whole life cycle and circumstances through – would biodegradation really be a benefit in the end? To answer these and further questions, the goal of the project BioSinn, realised by nova-Institute (Hürth, Germany), supported by IKT (Institut für Kunststofftechnik, University of Stuttgart) and funded by FNR (Agency for Renewable Resources) and the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, is to identify 25 plastic applications for which biodegradation is the most environmentally friendly end-of-life option. The outcome of the project will serve as a guideline for decision makers in industry and politics including 25 fact sheets, describing state-ofthe-art, problems and suitable environmentally friendly substitution materials (both biodegradable plastics and natural materials) for each application to help them make the transition to a sustainable economy. In the first project step, in November 2019, nova-Institute initiated an open call for experts from various fields to register and to suggest applications of which they think they fulfil the requirements in terms of the project. The results were exciting proposals – such as fruit- and vegetable stickers, plastic components in fireworks, mulch films, tree protectors, chewing gum and many more – which formed the foundation on further discussion. In the first expert workshop in February 2020, over 50 suggestions were discussed. In the following weeks, nova-Institute together with IKT Stuttgart worked on the first twelve fact sheets, generated ideas and had the chance to talk to several experts about opportunities, barriers and materials. In another expert workshop in May 2020, elaborations were verified and further steps were set. By the end of September 2020, all of the 25 application fact sheets are to be developed, in October 2020 another expert workshop is planned; information will be shared soon on the project’s website. In April 2021, nova-Institute intends to organise a final conference to present the project results to experts, press and policy. At the current stage, interested experts are welcome to join the project any time and share their knowledge and ideas. Please find here the list of applications (as of today) and contact information on the website http://nova-institute.eu/biosinn/home Thin mulch films – get brittle and leave tiny plastic pieces on a field (Photo: Michael Carus) Plastic components in fireworks – gets often lost out of control (Photo Alexandra Barner) Chewing gum on asphalt – a connection for life (Photo: Michael Carus) 30 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/20] Vol. 15
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