Cleaning our seas and oceans through enhanced ocean

Cleaning our seas and oceans through
enhanced ocean literacy
New BIOtechnologiCaL approaches for biodegrading and
promoting the environmEntal biotrAnsformation of
syNthetic polymeric materials (FP7 Project BIOCLEAN)
Fabio Fava, University of Bologna, Italy
Session Organiser: European Commission, DG RTD, Marine
Resources Unit
Project objectives and activities
BIOCLEAN aimed at developing innovative, eco-efficient pilot-scale biotechnological solutions for i)
degrading/valorizing wastes of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and
polystyrene (PS) plastics currently sent to dump sites and ii) enhancing the biodegradation of such
plastics persisting in composting facilities, anaerobic digestors, soils and marine environment.
ACTIVITIES
• Isolate novel, robust naturally-occurring mixed and pure aerobic and anaerobic cultures
degrading such plastics from aged wasted plastics historically occurring in different habitats;
selection of active strains from EU public and private culture collections;
• Develop biological or hybrid physical-chemical/biological processes for the
biodegradation/valorization of PE, PP, PS and PVC plastics;
• Develop tailored bio-augmentation procedures for enhancing native biodegradation of plastics
persisting in organic waste treatments and in marine habitats.
This project has received funding from the European Union FP7 research and
innovation programme under grant agreement No. 312100
Project Products and impacts
More than 1000 new microbial cultures degrading plastics (bacteria, fungi; pure and mixed cultures of
aerobic and anaerobic microbes) but only 65 of them degrade significantly PP, PE, PS and PVC films
(mass loss 10-12% in 90 d). New knowledge, limited impacts on industry and policies.
A new, pilot-scale biotech process capable of degrading PVC films (mass loss of 20% in 60d) producing
potentially exploitable PVC resin and bacterial biomass. New knowledge, potentially relevant for
industry and policies.
Four lab-scale and 1 pilot-scale chemical and/or physical pre-treatments (eg, O3/UV/gamma/thermal
treatment) able to lower PE, PP and PS MW and hydrophobicity; no significant effects on plastic
biodegradability. New knowledge, potentially relevant for physical/chemical valorization of plastics.
Lab- and pilot-scale bioaugmentation protocols for intensifying biodegradation of PP, PE, PS and PVC
plastics in soils, composting facilities, anaerobic digestors and marine water; biodegradation
improvements (of 10% in 360 d) only in marine water. New knowledge, relevant for policies.
Site-specific measures for mitigating plastic pollution and improving the environmental status of Crete/
Aegean Sea. Relevant for EU policies and regulatory frameworks (i.e., MSFD with respect to plastics)
This project has received funding from the European Union FP7 research and
innovation programme under grant agreement No. 312100
Conclusions
BIOCLEAN provides new advances and scientific/technical knowledge on the biodegradation and
biological fate of 4 of the most prominent conventional oil-based plastics in waste disposal facilities
and terrestrial and marine habitats. Some of the results are relevant for the plastic
producing/processing industry, policies and regulatory frameworks.
Biological tools and processes developed are unable to efficiently degrade plastic wastes
accumulated in landfills and/or stimulate the biodegradation of plastics already in the environment;
thus they are unable to efficiently prevent and mitigate marine litter issues.
Marine litter should be prevented, through an improved integrated management of plastic wastes,
eg, by increasing recycling, safe disposal, incineration, etc., but also avoiding of single use
products, and via intensive education and awareness actions and campaigns.
However, the environmental impact of the plastic sector can be definitively mitigated only by
assisting the sector transition towards a market consisting of fully recyclable and/or
biodegradable (bio)plastics .
This project has received funding from the European Union FP7 research and
innovation programme under grant agreement No. 312100
"Cleaning our seas and oceans through
enhanced ocean literacy"
Vangelis Papathanassiou
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Greece
European Commission, DG RTD, Marine Resources Unit
PERSEUS*
Policy-oriented marine Environmental Research in the Southern European Seas
• 21 countries
• 53 partners (>300 scientists)
65 Institutes & Universities
• 48 months (Jan 2012-Dec 2015)
AIMS
•Help and support the EU and non-EU
countries on MSFD/EcAp
•Develop a “Smart Monitoring” strategy
(observations, observing systems &
modelling)
•Develop awareness groups & increase
capacity building
•Design an innovative, small R/V for shallow
areas
•Provide science-based recommendations
for protection and management
* PERSEUS projects has received funding from
the European Union’s FP7 Programme under
the Grant Agreement No. 287600
PERSEUS Marine Litter Actions & Social Engagement
10°0'0"W
0°0'0"
10°0'0"E
20°0'0"E
30°0'0"E
40°0'0"E
30°0'0"N
Beach Marine Litter (36 Adopted: 4times/year)
Sea oor Marine Litter (Trawlers)
Sea oor Marine Litter (ROV)
Floating Marine Litter
0°0'0"
10°0'0"E
0
20°0'0"E
500
1000
km
30°0'0"E
25°0'0"N
30°0'0"N
35°0'0"N
35°0'0"N
40°0'0"N
40°0'0"N
45°0'0"N
45°0'0"N
50°0'0"N
- Marine LitterWatch (MLW) App
- Freely Available (iTunes, GooglePlay)
 Common
approach at basin
scale!
 Include different
study areas in the
same map
 Compare &
identify TOP-items
 Promote and
Implement EC’s
TGML protocols
 Involve the
general public &
Schools
Reflection to Policy…..
A common study on 5 different study areas in
the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea…
… “Plastic waste (i.e. Plastic Bags)
dominates seafloor litter”.
…. and spreading the word to future Citizens/Scientists!
59 Schools connected in the PERSEUS@School network from 7 countries
Two novel Educational Research Cruises with 10 Schools in Greece:
- Andromeda I (6-9 Mar. 2013): use of ROV@R/V Aegaeo
- Andromeda II (30 Apr. - 3 May 2014): exp. Trawl@ R/V Filia
Lessons Learned from Basin-wide collaborations
• PERSEUS worked with the stakeholders almost all the countries around the two basins
• Sincere need and interest in transnational cooperation (common request from the 8
national and 4 international stakeholder meetings)
• Capacity needs to be increased especially in the non-EU countries
• Collaboration from the beginning with stakeholders and engagement of the society
• Digestion of the information for policy makers
(Data
Information
Knowledge
“Wisdom”)
Final PERSEUS Stakeholders event in the European Parliament
Thank you!
Tackling Marine Litter
Through Joint Efforts
Session Organiser: European Commission, DG RTD,
Marine Resources Unit
Speaker Name: Ralph Schneider, Environmental
Affairs Manager,
Plastics Makers are contributing to Solutions since 2011
The organizations … are firmly committed that
plastics do not belong in the world’s oceans
and should not be littered -- plastics should be
responsibly used, reused, recycled and finally
recovered for their energy value. - Declaration of
the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine
Litter
AMER
35%
EMEA
40%
Supporting Marine Litter prevention in
Europe and globally
1.
Contributing to the Regional Action Plans (OSPAR,
HELCOM, UNEP-MAP)
2.
World Plastics Council puts focus on waste management
and marine debris, since 2014
3.
Welcomed the G7 Declaration, 2015
4.
Support the UNEA-2 Resolution on Microplastics &
Marine Litter, 2016
APAC
25%
Members
Countries
Projects
2011
47
27
100
2013
60
34
185
2015
65
34
260
www.marinelittersolutions.com
13
Concerted joint efforts create best results:
Mindful Product Design
Proper Waste Management & Collection
Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2025
Plastics are too valuable to be wasted
Promote Innovative Packaging
and for Microbeads: Support voluntary
efforts of cosmetics industry to
phase out microbeads
Identiplast: WM & Recycling
conference, February 2017 Vienna
Conscious people behavior
Pellet Loss Prevention
*
Research for solutions:
Sources, fate & effects
*
*
Knowledge
sharing:
Projects have received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no [MARLISCO = 289042 & BIOCLEAN = 312100]
14
People behavior is one essential element
to prevent Marine Litter
Effective tools for awareness &
education
• Plastics Makers are supporting many local and pan
European behavior oriented initiatives in Europe
• The involvement of local networks are key for effective
implementation
In industry along the
production chain
*
In the
neighborhood
Educate
school kids
People during
vacation
The Project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no [MARLISCO = 289042]
4
*
Outdoor
Sports