ERA-IB5 14-071 OXYPOL Optimised laccase systems for high-value bio-plastics from biomass

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With a global production > 300 mill ton/year , plastics are an important contributor to increased greenhouse gas emissions. However the use of plastics contributes to e.g. lighter vehicles and better preservation of food and water and is as such a good alternative to meet the demand from the growing population. Bio-plastics will bring the best from two worlds, combining the material properties of petrochemical-based materials with a better eco-footprint. The bio-based plastics market has grown tremendously in recent years, with global production expected to reach more than 1.5 million tons/year by 2018. Plastics are made up of what are known as 'building block molecules'. This project aims to develop enzymes that will break down lignin (e.g. from plants, or from the pulp and paper industry) into the building blocks required to produce bio-plastics. This is a pan-European project, with partners from 6 European countries, all with valuable expertise in different parts of the lignin to plastic production cycle.