PRESERVE partners meet for the first time face-to-face

On 21 and 22 of June 2022, PRESERVE partners met for their regular M18 meeting, but this time was different: they had the opportunity to meet face to face for the first time. In fact, due to Covid-19 and travel restrictions, the partners from 27 different companies only met online during this period of time. 

The coordinating partner, IRIS, organized the two-day meeting in Cornellá del Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. Some of the partners joined remotely. 

The first day was dedicated to the technical workpackages, in which the advances and challenges that the consortium is going to face in the coming months have been presented. 

More specifically, the workpackages 3 on the development of bio-based coatings and adhesives for tailoring packaging properties and EoL (lead by AIMPLAS), 4 on upcycling of core materials and blends (lead by CTB) and 5 on biodegradation, compostability and materials recycling had the opportunity to present their work and share their view based on the challenges faced in the different tasks. 

WP3, in particular, is working on the optimization of different bio-based coatings, such as proteins and PHA, together with bio-based adhesives and multi-layer structure. In order to optimize even more improved materials, WP3 is also working on different surface treatments. Also, as the materials are intended to be applied in packaging, printability and migration trials have been performed, showing final good results. 

WP4 is dedicated to the upcycling of the materials optimised in WP3, that is, the recovery of materials and their reuse in other valuable applications. In this package, they are testing enzymes for the degradation of PLA and the radiation treatment of the surfaces in order to obtain barrier and mechanical properties for bioplastics that are similar to virgin alternatives.

WP5 is now working on biodegradability assessment in different environments. Their work is connected with the materials optimised in WP3 and WP4, so it is possible to assess almost in real time the properties of the materials developed in the previous workpackages. 

During the second day of the meeting, it was time for WP7 and WP8 to present their advances. WP7 is in charge of the life-cycle analysis, and has already started with the first assessments of the functional units defined and of the presentation of the surveys for the social LCA. WP8 has presented the partners the results of the literature study of the consumer perception, of the communication activities and the networking with other projects. 

Then, the different working groups were divided into round tables to define how to approach the handover of tasks, now that the second phase on the validation of the solutions is approaching.

The partners were glad to meet in person and the project coordinator, Aldo Reyes from IRIS, is confident that the project will reach its objectives. 

The next general meeting is scheduled for December 2022, hopefully again face to face, in a venue to be decided.