This Halloween, the scariest monster isn’t hiding under your bed. In fact, it’s sitting in plain sight in our landfills. The picture above looks like a Halloween scene, but it’s a daily reality—a graveyard for valuable materials. And here’s the chilling plot twist: mixed in with the piles of traditional waste are bioplastics.
We created these materials, like PLA, PHA, and PBS, to be a solution—a way to move us away from fossil fuels. However, they are ending up in a tomb, and we are burying their potential. Consequently, this is the real nightmare: a massive failure in our circular economy. We can no longer afford this missed opportunity. The problem isn’t the materials, but our lack of a system to manage them. This is where the MoeBIOS project comes in. We are unmasking the real problems with bioplastic waste and building the advanced bioplastics recycling solutions to end this horror story for good.
The Horror Unmasked: Why We Need Bioplastics Recycling Solutions
There are two common myths about bioplastic waste. Unfortunately, the reality is far scarier.
Myth 1: The Landfill “Tomb”
Many people assume “bio-based” means a product will vanish in a landfill. However, this is dangerously untrue.
A modern landfill is sealed, meaning it has no oxygen (it is anaerobic). We did not design most bioplastics, like PLA, to break down in these conditions. Instead, they need high-heat industrial composting. Because of this, they can remain stable for decades in a landfill. The real horror? We create these valuable materials from renewable biomass, only to bury them forever. Ultimately, it’s a linear dead-end. This practice goes directly against the goals of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan.
Myth 2: The “Contaminant” Curse
The second myth is that bioplastics can just be tossed in with traditional plastic recycling. Unfortunately, this causes a different problem.
While advanced sorting can separate some bioplastics, many still end up in the wrong streams. For example, PLA (bioplastic) and PET (fossil-based) look similar but are chemically different. Although some studies, like those from our partner TotalEnergies Corbion, show that small amounts of PLA (below 1%) may not harm the rPET stream, the main issue remains: we are failing to create a separate, high-value stream for the bioplastics themselves.
We are letting a potential goldmine of recycled materials get lost. This is why a dedicated bioplastics recycling system is vital.
The Monster is Growing: A Ticking Clock for Bioplastic Waste
This problem is about to get much bigger. The bioplastics market is not niche; it’s exploding.
For instance, data from our project partner, European Bioplastics (EUBP), shows that global bioplastic production will likely triple in just five years. It is expected to grow from 2.23 million tonnes in 2022 to an estimated 6.3 million tonnes in 2027.
The materials MoeBIOS is targeting, like PLA and PHAs, drive this growth. Packaging is still the largest market, but textiles and agriculture are also growing.
Therefore, the ‘haunted landfill’ in our video is just the beginning. Without a plan, we face a future flood of bioplastic waste with no system to manage it.
The Solution: How MoeBIOS Delivers Advanced Bioplastics Recycling
Thankfully, this is where the story turns. The Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) funds the MoeBIOS project to build the solution. We are turning this horror story into a success story for the circular bioeconomy.
To do this, our plan uses four main pillars:
1. Three New Value Chains for Bioplastic Waste Management
First, we can’t solve this with a one-size-fits-all approach. That is why MoeBIOS is developing three separate value chains to handle the specific challenges of bioplastic waste from:
- Packaging
- Agriculture
- Textiles
2. The Core Technology: Advanced Bioplastics Recycling
Second, we are focusing on bioplastics that don’t have set recycling solutions, such as PLA, PHA, PBS, and PEF. We are moving beyond basic shredding. Instead, we are scaling up advanced mechanical, chemical, and bio-recycling (enzymatic) processes. This allows us to break the materials down and upcycle them into new, high-quality products. Ideally, these will be as good as, or even better than, the originals.
3. Real-World Impact (TRL 6-7)
Third, this isn’t just a plan; it’s an Innovation Action. We are scaling these processes to TRL 6-7. This means we will demonstrate them in pilot plants connected to actual industrial recycling lines. In short, this proves our solutions are ready for the real world.
4. The Multi-Actor Approach (The Team)
Finally, you can’t build a new circular economy in a silo. For this reason, our project uses a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA). We are bringing together over 50 stakeholders—from waste managers on the ground to the bioplastics industry, researchers, and policymakers. We all work together to ensure the solutions we build are useful, affordable, and work for everyone.
Conclusion: From Halloween Horror to Circular Success
The real horror this Halloween isn’t a fictional monster. Instead, it’s seeing valuable, sustainable materials buried in a landfill. It’s a story of waste, lost potential, and a missed opportunity.
However, it’s a story we are actively re-writing.
Advanced bioplastics recycling is the key. The MoeBIOS project is building the systems, value chains, and technologies to ensure that bioplastics fulfill their original promise: to be a truly sustainable and circular product.
So, don’t just be scared by the waste problem. Be part of the circular solution.
Learn more
To follow MoeBIOS’s journey toward sustainable bioplastics recycling:
- Visit our project website
- Follow us on LinkedIn