BE-UP: Industrial Adoption of Biodegradable Polymers for Sustainable Packaging Applications
- Jul 16
- 3 min read
The BE-UP project aims to make sustainable packaging a practical reality by supporting the industrial adoption of biodegradable and recyclable polymers. To achieve this, the project is developing new bio-based materials with a high renewable content, together with innovative catalysts and additives that improve both their performance and sustainability.
A key focus of BE-UP is ensuring these materials can be processed using existing packaging manufacturing technologies. By producing and validating prototypes at TRL 7, the project is helping bridge the gap between research and real industrial applications.
BE-UP is also contributing to a more circular packaging sector by developing design guidelines aligned with the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, while supporting better testing methods, standardization, and labeling for biodegradable materials.
Looking ahead, the project has the potential to replace more than 50,000 tonnes of conventional plastics by 2032, reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. Through innovation and collaboration, BE-UP is helping pave the way for a more sustainable future for packaging.
Context:
The BE-UP project responds to the growing need for more sustainable packaging solutions in line with the EU Plastics Strategy, the Single-Use Plastics Directive, and the Circular Economy Action Plan. These initiatives encourage the replacement of fossil-based plastics with biodegradable bio-based materials to reduce plastic pollution and its environmental impact.
Although biodegradable biopolymers offer significant potential, their use in high-performance packaging remains limited. Many current materials still face challenges in terms of mechanical performance and processability, particularly in industrial manufacturing processes such as blown film extrusion, injection molding, and thermoforming.
To address these challenges, BE-UP is developing a new generation of aliphatic-aromatic biopolyesters, combined with commercially available biopolymers, innovative catalysts, and functional additives. Using advanced digital modeling, the project is optimizing these materials to deliver sustainable, recyclable packaging solutions that meet industrial performance requirements.
Alongside material development, BE-UP is evaluating processability, functionality, biodegradability, and recyclability to ensure real-world applicability. The project will also deliver circular design guidelines aligned with the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, while supporting the harmonization of testing methods and labeling practices for biodegradable packaging materials.
Summary and Objectives:
The BE-UP project aims to develop a new generation of biodegradable materials for sustainable packaging, based on advanced biopolyesters designed to support the transition towards a circular and low-impact economy.
To achieve this, the project is developing and optimizing innovative bio-based polymers with improved properties for industrial processing. These materials will be used to manufacture and validate biodegradable packaging prototypes at a pre-industrial scale, demonstrating their performance in real manufacturing conditions.
In parallel, BE-UP will assess the biodegradability of the new materials across different environments, while evaluating their safety and sustainability under the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework. By combining material innovation, industrial validation, and circular design principles, the project aims to accelerate the market adoption of biodegradable packaging solutions and maximize their environmental, economic, and societal benefits.
CONSORTIUM
The BE-UP consortium consists of:
INSTITUTE OF PACKAGING, TRANSPORTATION, AND LOGISTICS TECHNOLOGY (ITENE), Spain – Coordinator
HYBRID CATALYSIS BV (HYB), Netherlands
PARTICULA GROUP DRUSTVO S OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU ZA ISTRAZIVANJE RAZVOJ I PROIZVODNJU (PART), Croatia
ISOTECH LTD (ISO), Cyprus
EUROPEAN BIOPLASTICS EV (EUBP), Germany
Polinivo (POLIN), Belgium
IDENER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC INTEREST GROUP (IDE), Spain
NORMEC OWS (OWS), Belgium
CEBIMAT LAB SL (CEB), Spain
INNOTECH COEXPAN-EMSUR SL (INNO), Spain
NOVAMONT SPA (NVMT), Italy
POLYMERIS (POLY), France
IMERYS TALC EUROPE (IME), France
FAKULTETA ZA TEHNOLOGIJO POLIMEROV (FTPO), Slovenia
SPANISH STANDARDIZATION ASSOCIATION (UNE), Spain
Aptar France SAS (APT), France
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI TRIESTE (UNITS), Italy
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