ELLIPSE

Efficient and novel waste streams co-processing to obtain bio-based solutions for packaging and agricultural sectors

AIMPLAS — España - Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant VZW (BBEPP) — Bélgica - Biotrend – Inovação e Engenharia em Biotecnologia SA (BIOT) — Portugal - Novamont SpA (NVMT) — Italia - BIO-MI DRUSTVO S OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU ZA PROIZVODNJU, ISTRAZIVANJEI RAZVOJ (BIOMI) — Croacia - Fundación CARTIF (CARTIF) — España - Zero Emissions Engineering BV (Zero‑E) — Países Bajos - UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA (UNIVR) - Italia - Helian Polymers B.V. (HP) — Países Bajos - ENCO SRL (ENCO) — Italia - BEST – Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH (BEST) — Austria - Green Generation Ireland Limited (GG) — Irlanda - Laakirchen Papier AG (HEPA) — Austria

Objectives

The main objective of ELLIPSE is to recover large volumes of heterogeneous organic waste—such as slaughterhouse waste (ruminal content) and sludge from the paper industry—by co-processing it with other organic waste to produce low-cost PHAs (biodegradable bioplastics) for the agricultural and packaging sectors.
The project seeks to transform problematic waste into renewable raw materials, reducing its environmental impact and generating new economic opportunities within the European bioeconomy.

Description

ELLIPSE proposes an innovative solution for converting difficult-to-manage organic waste into sustainable bioplastics (PHAs). The project focuses on two waste streams generated in large quantities in Europe: ruminal content from slaughterhouses and sludge from the paper industry. This waste will be co-processed together with other organic by-products, such as glycerol from the biodiesel industry and sludge from the dairy industry, integrating them as raw materials in a circular biorefinery.

This strategy will reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill or anaerobic digestion, decrease soil degradation, prevent groundwater contamination and reduce methane emissions. It will also generate new business opportunities for the industries that produce this waste by transforming it into high-added-value products.

The materials obtained will be used to manufacture personal care packaging and agricultural products that are almost 100% renewable. The project has the capacity to process at least 100 tonnes of slaughterhouse waste and 20 tonnes of paper sludge, with a potential annual impact in Europe of 20,000 tonnes of ruminal content and 50,000 tonnes of recovered paper sludge.
ELLIPSE adopts a multi-stakeholder approach, integrating waste producers, technology developers, SMEs and large companies, as well as market experts and end users. This structure ensures that the technology developed is viable, sustainable and aligned with the real needs of industry and society.