A month ago today, the NENU2PHAR workshop brought together experts and stakeholders in Alençon to address the pressing challenges facing the PHA value chain, marking it the first on-site event organized by the project.
More than 70 experts, industrials, and stakeholders from the biobased plastic field gathered on the 4th and 5th of April at IPC’s premises for an event aimed at addressing current and future challenges in the field. The event featured presentations by several organizations and experts, offering testimony and expertise feedback on the topic. Attendees traveled from various parts of the globe, such as the United States, Finland, Spain, and more, to participate in the event.
The event was split into two days, the first consisting of technical presentations on PHA, while the second focused on activities and role plays related to the social acceptance of biobased plastics. The program of the first day was divided into three sessions, each featuring presentations by experts in the field of PHA. Session 1 was devoted to discussing the challenges associated with bioplastics, with presentations from Bel, CEA, and IPC – Centre Technique Industriel de la Plasturgie et des Composites.
Session 2 focused on PHA synthesis and included presentations by Polymaris Biotechnology, Paques Biomaterials, Helian Polymers, Université Bretagne Sud, and CJ BIOMATERIALS, Inc.
The final session, Session 3, tackled regulations, sorting, and end-of-life issues, with presentations from Ligépack, Pellenc ST, Valorplast, LOMARTOV SL, and ITENE.
As part of the project, product samples were showcased, including plastic cups, bottles, lids, and trays made of PHA based film.
The event concluded with a visit of IPC’s premises, providing attendees with an opportunity to gain insights into the organization’s operations and expertise. All participants received a keychain with the nenu2phar logo, made of PHA and produced by IPC.
During the second day of the event, our partner LOMARTOV Environmental Engineering Consultancy SME, located in Valencia, Spain, organized a co-creation workshop focused on the acceptance of new bio-based plastics. The workshop included activities such as debates, role plays, and world cafes, aimed at understanding the obstacles to social acceptance and identifying improvement criteria. This more practical workshop was attended by over 25 people.
The 2-day event was a great success and provided an excellent opportunity for experts, industrials, and stakeholders working on PHA to share their knowledge and experiences, paving the way for a more sustainable future in the biobased plastic field.
We would like to extend our gratitude to all the speakers and participants for their contributions, as well as IPC and LOMARTOV for organizing the event. The EU Commission also supported the event through the DG MARE, the European Maritime Day, and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU).
