SOUL

Bio-based in Soil applications with Optimal biodegradation in their Ultimate Life

FUNDACION AITIIP (AITIIP) – Zaragoza | NOVAMONT SPA (NVMT), - Italia | EVOENZYME SL (EVO) – España | AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (CSIC) – España | MOSES PRODUCTOS SL (MOSES) – España | AMORIM CORK SOLUTIONS, S.A (ACS) – Portugal | Tenax S.p.A. (TENAX) – Italia | SICOR SOCIEDADE INDUSTRIAL DE CORDOARIA SA (SICOR) – Portugal | SAMCO AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURING LIMITED (SAMCO) – Irlanda | ASOCIACION ESPAÑOLA PARA EL DESARROLLO Y TRANSFERENCIA | TECNOLOGICA EN LA AGRICULTURA Y LA GANADERIA - ASETAGA (ASET) – España | INSTYTUT UPRAWY NAWOZENIA I GLEBOZNAWSTWA, PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY (IUNG) – Polonia | AIMPLAS - ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION DE MATERIALES PLASTICOS Y CONEXAS (AIMPLAS) – España | NORMEC OWS (OWS) – Bélgica | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA (UNIBO) – Italia | HOLOSS - HOLISTIC AND ONTOLOGICALSOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, LDA. (HOL) – Portugal | RE SOIL FOUNDATION (RESOIL) – Italia | EUROPEAN BIOECONOMY BUREAU (EBB) - Bélgica

Objectives

The main objective of SOUL is to develop new biodegradable materials with a high renewable content to replace conventional plastics used in agriculture, construction, and other applications where they currently generate soil pollution and end-of-life management problems.

The project seeks to create 11 innovative bio-based and biodegradable solutions in soil, achieving up to 95% renewable raw materials, and to establish a complete value chain that allows for their production and validation at a scale close to market (TRL8).

Description

SOUL is a response to the growing environmental impact of plastics, especially in sectors such as agriculture, packaging, and construction, where many products are not collected, are not recycled, and end up polluting the soil. Mulch films, controlled-release fertilizers, tree protectors, turf nets, and infills are examples of products that, although useful, generate persistent and difficult-to-manage waste.

The project proposes a comprehensive transformation through the development of biodegradable materials in soil, with high renewable content and designed to minimize pollution.

To this end, the consortium will work on:

Producing new bio-based materials from renewable resources.
Transforming existing plastic products to make them biodegradable.
Developing sustainable end-of-life solutions, avoiding landfills and soil contamination.
Reducing the carbon footprint and improving the circularity of the plastics sector.
Validating 11 innovative products combining 3 technological blocks and 8 key technologies.

SOUL will be implemented with a circular and multi-actor bioeconomy approach, reaching TRL8, which means that the solutions will be ready for demonstration in real operating environments and close to market entry.