ANIPH

Biobased and biodegradable plastic products (BBpPs) are crucial for mitigating the environmental impact of fossil-based plastics, particularly in humanitarian crises where waste management is challenging. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a promising biodegradable biopolymer, known for their biocompatibility and lack of microplastic pollution. With this in mind, the EU-funded ANIPH project will create a value chain for producing advanced wound dressings and biodegradable, recyclable water-resistant packaging suitable for various environments, including soil, freshwater and marine. It will integrate biodegradation at each stage of PHA production, formulation and conversion. An AI-based predictive and digital traceability tool will be developed to forecast biodegradation rates, material properties, and ecotoxicity, while ensuring full material traceability. Additionally, ANIPH will promote sustainable practices for the proper use and safe disposal of BBpPs. Biobased and biodegradable plastics products (BBpPs) are emerging as a key piece to solve the negative impact of fossil-based plastics in the environment. A relevant case where BBpPs can play a key role in avoiding pollution is in single use applications used in humanitarian contexts (such as natural disasters or armed conflicts), where appropriate waste management systems are usually not feasible. Plastic waste, mainly health care & packaging waste, is largely contributing to uncontrolled waste in humanitarian contexts, and addressing their environmental impacts is required. One of the most promising biodegradable biopolymers is the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) family which offer functionalities, are biocompatible, but also fully biodegradable in relevant environments without causing microplastic pollution. ANIPH will create a new PHA value chain to produce modern wound dressings and recyclable water barrier packaging while being biodegradable in all relevant environments (soil, freshwater, marine). The biodegradation will be programmed during the PHA production, formulation & compounding, and conversion stages. An AI predictive tool and a digital traceability tool will support these aims by predicting the biodegradation, properties, & ecotoxicity, and ensuring the traceability of the materials and products. Moreover, sustainable choices, proper use and safe disposal of BBpPs will be fostered through ANIPH contribution to Information & Labelling Systems and by delivering capacity building resources. Our project gathers eight partners from six European countries leaders in different fields of knowledge, from bioplastic production to end of life assessment. Adoption of ANIPH value chain will produce relevant outcomes: yearly saving 22.43 kt of crude oil thanks to a reduction of 43% and 68% of CO2 emissions compared to packaging and wound dressing respective fossil counterparts, recirculating 1,475 kt of biomass, avoiding the use of 12.93kt of hazardous substances.