Converting waste to a high value biodegradable plastic. Dr Kevin O Connor School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science

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1 Converting waste to a high value biodegradable plastic Dr Kevin O Connor School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science

2 Sustainability and eco innovation Sustainability..meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Brundtland report 1987 Economic growth Linked to waste production (unsustainable) Plastic Highly desired & highly problematic Biodegradable plastic Compostable and high value uses Research & innovation Bridging the gap

3 Waste opportunity Waste as a target Increasing cost of waste management Uncertainty about waste management in the future Limited technologies for high value conversion Low cost starting material Petrochemical plastic waste Scientific academic challenge Poor recycling rates PS 2% recycling rate in US (highest worldwide) PET 25% recycling collection system in operation PE 10% recycling Farm plastics collection scheme

4 Strategy for upcycling plastic waste New Markets ( 30 billion) Upcycle Convert to value added product Petrochemical plastic Multi purpose (Non biodegradable) Waste Landfill Recycle to petrochemical plastic low value product relative to virgin material Downcycling

5 Plastic upcycling to a biodegradable plastic Chemistry Pyrolysis Microbiology Fermentation PS, PET & others Invention disclosure form Nova UCD PET to PHA patented Mixed plastic patented Other patents under development PE joint industry project PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoate) Biodegradation 6 12 months

6 Opportunity roadmap Bioplastic Biodegradable plastic Premium product Rapidly growing markets Petrochemical US$ 300 billion market Bioplastics 25% share of market by 2020 Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Packaging, agriculture, textiles, medicine Biocompatible (biomedical implants/wound healing) Highly desired by industry One of 5 chemicals to change the world (Forbes) Historically focus on short chain length PHA Bioplastech produces medium chain length PHA mclpha greater diversity and greater opportunities

7 Opportunity roadmap Integration EU lead market Iniative and Kok Report The production of a single (bio)product from waste or renewable resources (Single (bio)refinery) is not sustainable (Life cycle analysis) Sole product mentality obsolete Biofuels bioethanol, biodiesel Bioplastics Polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyrate Biolubricants plant oils Integration of technologies Fuel from plastics an emerging industry Opportunity to integrate two technologies at one site

8 Opportunity roadmap Fuels and bioplastics Plastic waste Pyrolysis oil 10% 30% 90% 70% PHA Fuel or Fuel additive

9 Opportunity roadmap Fuels and bioplastics Animal Fat Food oils PHA methylated fatty acids + Glycerol Biodiesel

10 Opportunity roadmap Partners Bioplastics development Bioplastic processing (Ramesh Babu TCD) Building strategic relationships Agricultural produce (covering) Plastic packaging Starch based biopolymers Biofuels Fuel from waste

11 Opportunity roadmap Market Innovation is about converting research into market reality not about performing novel science What does the market want? Stop selling what you have and start selling what they want Hong Kong Airport Nobody has done this before doesn t interest the market... unless you can show the commercial benefits Great scientific findings are not great business opportunities

12 Opportunity roadmap Flexibility Bounce your ideas off others Tear a good idea to pieces (& rebuild) All opinions are not of equal value Be flexible Alter direction/strategy Nova UCD Ciaran O Beirne, Claudia Wietek, Ciara Leonard (CCDP) Enterprise Ireland Ruth McMahon Patent attorney What is needed to get this to the next level? Can a company or a research lab build this technology?

13 Opportunity roadmap Campus company development Find out what you are as a company/innovator Find out what you can do and can not What is your value proposition? Bioplastech 2008 UCD spin out Do what you do best Research, technology development No man is an Island John Donne ( ). Farm out for expertise Mark O Donovan Raglan capital (Dublin) corporate finance Enrico Altieri Spain business development, Scouting for opportunities Promote your technology Industry conferences Press

14 Acknowledgments University College Dublin Jasmina Nikodinovic Shane Kenny Miriam Goff Karen Tobin Patrick Ward Environmental Protection Agency Ireland Enterprise Ireland Nova UCD