Porto, Portugal – October 14th, 2022: IncBio is proud to announce its participation in the Sustainable Plastics Project, a pivotal initiative under Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). Led by the Logoplaste Innovation Lab, the project involves a broad consortium of 40 companies and 11 research institutions, all working to advance the circular economy within the Portuguese plastics sector. The project is focused on enhancing plastic resource circularity, improving recycling efficiency, developing new materials, and using plastic waste as a resource.
A key goal of the project is to incorporate bio-based and recycled materials into plastic production, helping to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint in alignment with European climate objectives. The initiative includes seven distinct work packages (WPs), addressing research, innovation, and training, with a focus on creating digital solutions to improve recycling accuracy through the use of digital watermarks on packaging.
As part of the Recicla+ project, IncBio is a co-promoter alongside Codil, Bio4Plas, MC Sonae, BICAFÉ, and PIEP. The project focuses on building a circular economy model for coffee capsules and plastic waste. IncBio is providing engineering services and equipment construction for this innovative initiative, contributing its expertise in industrial engineering and manufacturing.
Recicla+ seeks to recover waste plastic from used coffee capsules, develop fully recyclable capsules, and transform the spent coffee grounds into biofertilizer, promoting a zero-waste approach. The project is also focused on developing mono-material capsules, which are easier to recycle, and aims to integrate recycled plastics into non-food products.
IncBio will supply the pyrolytic reactor used to transform spent coffee grounds into biochar, a product that can be used as a fertilizer in both domestic and agricultural applications. This circular approach will help reduce waste, improve recyclability, and create sustainable byproducts from previously discarded materials.
José Marques, CEO of IncBio, stated: “Our involvement in the Sustainable Plastics Project and Recicla+ underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable manufacturing and the circular economy. By integrating recycled materials and transforming waste into valuable resources, we are helping to reshape the future of the plastics industry in Portugal.”
The Sustainable Plastics Project marks a significant step toward creating a more sustainable, circular economy in Portugal’s plastics sector, aligning with the broader goals of reducing waste and advancing green technologies.