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Challenges in defining and recycling bioplastics waste streams

Growing role of bioplastics in a circular economy

The use of bioplastics is expected to grow significantly in packaging, textiles, and agriculture. These sectors are central to the transition towards a more circular bioeconomy. However, the shift to biobased packaging is slower than anticipated. Today, it is still rare to find bioplastics in post-consumer packaging waste. The same situation occurs in the textile and agricultural sectors, which are also studied by the EU-funded MoeBIOS project.

Mapping the current and future landscape

At the start of MoeBIOS, the project team analysed the global landscape of bioplastics. They explored current trends and forecasted how production and disposal might evolve. This forward-looking work revealed which conditions are needed to make bioplastics more successful and sustainable in the future.

How bioplastics appear in waste streams

After mapping the big picture, researchers turned to the waste streams themselves. They investigated which types of bioplastics are present in packaging, textiles, and agriculture. They also studied the difficulties in identifying these materials.

Many bioplastic products carry vague labels such as “bio,” “compostable,” or “biodegradable.” Others fall into unclear categories like “other plastics.” As a result, they are often hard to sort properly. In addition, bioplastics are frequently mixed with organic waste, which makes separation even more challenging.

Sector-specific findings

The MoeBIOS team found different challenges depending on the sector:

  • Packaging: Bioplastics are often hard to recognise due to unclear or misleading labels.

  • Textiles: Bioplastics are almost absent, which prevents meaningful studies on their end-of-life treatment.

  • Agriculture: Mulch films are designed to break down in soil, while products like clips and twines are compostable but difficult to separate from crops.

Overall, the very low presence of bioplastics in waste streams makes it difficult to test and scale new recycling technologies.

Market studies and material shortages

To understand this problem, MoeBIOS carried out a market study on the level of commercialization of bioplastics. The results confirmed that if bioplastics remain scarce in the market, only small amounts will reach waste treatment plants. This scarcity creates a major challenge for recycling research.

Simulating future scenarios

To overcome the shortage of materials, the project designed an innovative solution. Researchers purchased bioplastic products directly from manufacturers, contaminated them with other waste, and tested them under controlled conditions. In this way, they could simulate real-life scenarios and analyse how bioplastics behave during disposal and recycling.

This method also allowed the team to focus on the most relevant types of bioplastics. They selected PLA and PLA blends, PHA and its blends, PBS, and PEF, as these materials do not yet have established recycling processes. In contrast, sugarcane-based bioplastics proved incompatible with the new recycling technologies developed within MoeBIOS.

Preparing for a future with more bioplastics

Although bioplastics are not yet common in waste streams, their use is expected to increase rapidly. Therefore, it is essential to anticipate the need for efficient identification, sorting, and recycling technologies. MoeBIOS is working on pilot-scale solutions that can be integrated into existing industrial recycling lines, aiming to reach TRL 6–7.

By simulating realistic waste scenarios, the project ensures that future recycling methods will be both effective and scalable. This forward-looking approach directly supports the EU Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan.

Conclusion: turning challenges into opportunities

The MoeBIOS project has already taken important steps towards understanding how bioplastics behave in waste systems. By identifying challenges such as mislabelling, scarcity, and contamination, and by simulating real-world conditions, the project prepares Europe for a future where bioplastics recycling is efficient, sustainable, and widely adopted.

With a strong focus on packaging, textiles, and agriculture, MoeBIOS combines research, industry collaboration, and innovation. As a result, it contributes to building a truly circular bioeconomy where bioplastic waste becomes a valuable resource rather than an environmental burden.

Learn more 

To follow MoeBIOS’s journey toward sustainable bioplastics recycling: 

Stay informed, stay engaged—and help us redesign the future of sustainable packaging. 

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