Plastic How Garden Waste Becomes a Biodegradable Plastic

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Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

Researchers at the University of Oldenburg (Germany) have reportedly developed a process to produce fully biodegradable plastic from green waste, hay, and algae. This material is suitable for medical products, car components, insulation, and packaging.

To produce plastics from 100 percent organic waste, the research team led by chemist Dr. Melanie Walther aims to combine ecologically sustainable and application-oriented approaches: the plan is to develop a cost-effective and energy-efficient technology to create new plastics based on polybutylene succinate (PBS) that consist entirely of organic waste. The Federal Ministry of Research (BMFTR) is funding the "EcoPBS" project with approximately 2.94 million USD.

Industry-Ready Alternative to Conventional Plastic

"The work of the new junior research group aims to offer an industrially viable alternative to conventional plastic with plastics made from renewable raw materials," says Prof. Dr. Ralph Bruder, President of the University of Oldenburg, Germany. "The funding approval from the BMFTR also acknowledges the outstanding research infrastructure of our university in this field and highlights the potential of 'EcoPBS' for an environmentally and climate-friendly circular economy."

Make Bioplastic Fully Recyclable

PBS is similarly robust and processable as the plastics polypropylene and polyethylene. The major difference: it is easily biodegradable. However, it has so far not been possible to produce fully bio-based material that is completely recyclable. Additionally, the manufacturing processes are not yet suitable for the chemical industry. "For high yields, easily cultivable microorganisms are needed that are stable enough to withstand cost- and energy-efficient process engineering," explains industrial chemist Walther regarding the research gap.

In three subprojects, the junior research group is therefore investigating how the biological substrate in the form of garden clippings and harvest residues can eventually become bio-PBS. To achieve this, the researchers are first optimizing the fermentation process: they are examining how well the organic material can be transformed in a newly developed biotechnological process using various microorganisms. The special aspect: the team is studying two types of fermentation— acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation and succinic acid fermentation.

New Manufacturing Processes for Bioplastic

The second subproject focuses on downstreaming, which involves purifying the converted material of impurities. The researchers aim to refine the organic compound n-butanol into 1,4-butanediol—a diol that is an important raw material for plastics. Using process simulations and machine learning methods, they are examining how to improve material and energy balances.

To remove disruptive substances and produce fully bio-based PBS for the first time, a specialty chemical is also required. The researchers have already developed the fundamentals of this chemical and filed a patent for it. As part of the third subproject, they aim to further refine this technology. Another goal is to utilize the residues generated during the production of bio-PBS for the generation of renewable electricity and heat, which could be used to operate the laboratory facilities. Using digital 3D models and the fully bio-based PBS, the researchers ultimately plan to create the first applicable products—such as packaging and medical materials.

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