The aim of the project is to make good use of available biodegradable waste, and not to waste it, but to apply methane fermentation process to transform carbon rich wastes and residues into low carbon fuels and chemicals. The general scope of the project is to provide innovative technological solutions for production and utilization of biogas generated from municipal organic waste. Such attitude will enable meeting goals of sustainable development.

Project’s more specific objectives include:

  • Assessment of the market of biodegradable polymers in respect to handling procedures and mapping of availability
  • Thorough analysis of a quality of a feed and its influence on the process with establishing the design factors
  • Estimation of a model feed with biodegradable polymers
  • Quality assessment of the obtained biogas
  • Process scale-up
  • Determination of digestate properties and its usage.

Further project activities will be related to the prediction and assessment of biodegradable polymers presence and influence on process effectiveness with following determination of their fate in digestate. The presence of undesirable substances - more often composed of biodegradable polymers, which eventually may turn to microplastics - that make up the heterogeneous nature of municipal waste could hinder the implementation of the technological process. However the planned research activities within the project are to answer the questions whether the presence of biodegradable polymers in a feed can affect the process or reduce its efficiency.

The project will contribute to the broadening of knowledge based on research. An environmental problem that is constantly growing due to the continuous production growth of polymers, and a resulting new environmental issue with not fully recognized biodegradable polymers in the environment will be explored within project activities. The objective is to predict it and study their real impact on the process. Biodegradable polymers are especially popular in food industry as for packaging materials and disposable kitchen utensils. Currently, no specific requirements exist for capturing of bioplastics and biodegradable polymers from the waste streams.

Gdansk University of Technology has its own installation for methane fermentation processes, which was built as part of an earlier POM-BIOGAS project. We know its pros and cons. We also have our own verified methodology, research procedures and practical knowledge in the field of methane fermentation. In this regard, we plan to upgrade the installation we have, among others by improving the circulation system and adding additional sensors and pipelines.

The results of the project will be achieved within the five Work Packages of the project responding to the specific objectives above.