Clara Bilbao

GAIKER carries out specialised tests to assess the environmental risk of various types of products, helping organisations demonstrate their environmental safety and proceed with greater confidence in their development, validation and marketing processes.

We have experience in the assessment of products for use in different environments, including aquatic and land ecosystems. We design and carry out tests adapted to each matrix and use case, providing key information to identify potential environmental impact and support decision-making in terms of safety and compliance.

We work with a wide range of products and materials, such as chemical formulations, materials, mixtures, leachates, water, solids and innovative developments that require rigorous environmental validation before they are brought to market or used in real conditions.

Our services cover ecotoxicity testing in freshwater, marine environments and soil, enabling us to comprehensively assess how products interact with representative organisms from different ecosystems and identify adverse effects on relevant species and environmental functions.

We also carry out biodegradability and environmental performance studies to provide evidence on the persistence or degradation of products in different environments, offering essential data for eco-design strategies, market positioning and regulatory assessment.

These tests enable companies to validate the environmental safety of their products, increase consumer and regulatory body trust and prove compliance with the prevailing legislation in each sector. In this way, we help reduce risks, facilitate responsible innovation and speed up the time-to-market of more sustainable solutions.

Are you looking for a technology partner to assess the environmental risk of your products? Contact us.

The SERVET project will develop a new circular value chain to recover essential and strategic raw materials from complex waste streams.

The GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), is participating in the SERVET project (Research on new circular economy processes at the service of strategic sovereignty), which aims to design a new circular, efficient, sustainable and technologically advanced value chain for the selective recovery of critical and strategic raw materials from complex waste streams.

The project will investigate the recovery of different post-consumer and industrial waste streams, including photovoltaic and hybrid panels, printed circuit boards (PCBs), fractions containing industrial metals and other complex solid waste. Based on these streams, solutions will be developed to recover critical raw materials, such as copper, silicon, tantalum and niobium, as well as other high-value metals, such as silver and tin.

The increasing demand for essential raw materials in strategic sectors, such as renewable energy, digitalisation, the automotive sector and the electronics industry poses significant challenges for European industry. Dependence on external resources and the need to secure supply chains make it essential to foster more circular models that enable high-value materials contained in waste to be recovered. SERVET has emerged in this context: a project funded by the CDTI and supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, as part of the ‘Missions 2025’ call for proposals.

The project is led by Tradebe Environmental Services, through its recycling facilities for ELVs and other metals, and involves eight other companies: LENZ, Técnicas Reunidas, Atlantic Copper, Abora, Lurederra, INM, Eurecat and Cenim. SERVET takes a systemic and interdisciplinary approach that combines advanced technologies for the pre-treatment, conditioning and automated separation of materials with innovative extraction and purification processes that are highly selective, efficient and sustainable. It also incorporates on-line analysis and monitoring techniques based on advanced optical technologies, such as RGB computer vision, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), LIBS, NIR and Raman spectroscopy, integrated with artificial intelligence algorithms.

The strategy for this project is rounded off with the reintroduction of recovered materials into new industrial applications with high added value, thereby promoting a comprehensive circular model. Potential applications include the manufacture of new solar panels and functional conductive inks, contributing to more efficient resource management, reduced dependence on imported raw materials and the minimisation of environmental impact.

GAIKER’s work
As a specialist in the development of technologies for the automated identification and separation of materials, GAIKER will collaborate on research into new, advanced strategies for the identification, classification and selective separation of complex waste.

The Technology Centre will develop and apply advanced characterisation and identification technologies based on computer vision (RGB imaging), hyperspectral imaging (HSI), LIBS spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, integrated with artificial intelligence algorithms and smart classification systems. These solutions will enable the detection, characterisation, automated separation and pre-concentration of materials of interest for their subsequent recovery to be optimised.

GAIKER will also investigate selective pre-treatment processes, advanced analytical techniques for the on-line monitoring and characterisation of materials, as well as physical, chemical and thermomechanical methods to produce solar-grade silicon for metal recovery. Finally, it will assess the performance, scalability and technical feasibility of recovering critical raw materials and their subsequent use in new industrial applications.

Project funded by the Centre for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) and supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities as part of the ‘Missions 2025’ call for proposals.

Article written by Rafael Miguel – Recycling and Circular Economy Market Manager at GAIKER – See original

The publication of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, known as the PPWR, marks a turning point for the entire packaging value chain. This is not merely a new regulatory requirement, but a structural change in the way we design, manufacture, use, reuse and recycle packaging.

The aim of this new regulation is clear: to reduce unnecessary packaging, promote reuse, refilling and recycling, harmonise rules across the European market and contribute to the transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy. The Regulation introduces sustainability and labelling requirements throughout the entire life cycle of packaging, from its design and composition to its management as waste.

From recycling to eco-design: the new PPWR paradigm
One of the most significant aspects of the PPWR is that it shifts the focus from end-of-life waste management to the design of packaging from the outset. In this new context, it will not be enough for packaging to be technically recyclable in theory. It must be designed so that it can be collected, sorted and recycled on a large scale. Furthermore, the Regulation establishes a system of recyclability standards applicable from 2030 and introduces stricter requirements from 2038.

This change will have direct implications on businesses. Packaging must minimise weight and volume whilst maintaining its functionality, avoid unnecessary components and meet increasingly stringent criteria regarding recyclability, reuse, recycled content and traceability. In the case of plastic packaging, the Regulation sets out minimum content requirements for recycled material derived from post-consumer plastic waste, subject to certain exceptions, and maintains specific requirements for compostable packaging, which must comply with industrial composting standards.

In this context, bioplastics take on a particularly interesting role, but one that is also more demanding. Its contribution to sustainability cannot be based solely on the renewable origin of the raw material. The future competitiveness of these materials will depend on their real performance within the system: their functionality, compatibility with processing methods, recyclability, compostability where applicable, safety in use and integration into existing collection and treatment infrastructures. A bio-based material is not automatically circular; it must be proven to be so both technically and environmentally.

For this reason, the transition driven by the PPWR should not be seen merely as a regulatory challenge, but as an opportunity for innovation. Companies will need to review formulations, redesign multi-layer structures, evaluate single-material alternatives, incorporate recycled or bio-based materials where appropriate, validate functional properties and generate technical evidence to support regulatory compliance. The EU Declaration of Conformity and the associated technical documentation will be key to demonstrating that the packaging complies with the applicable requirements.

GAIKER’s role in the transition towards more circular packaging
This is where GAIKER can play a decisive role. The transition towards more circular packaging requires technical expertise, experimental capabilities and a holistic view of materials, processes, the end product and end-of-life. GAIKER is committed to circular plastics derived from chemical recycling, mechanical recycling or renewable resources, including bioplastics, with strategic applications in sectors such as packaging, the automotive industry, construction, electrical and electronics, textiles and agriculture.

From a practical perspective, companies will need support in several areas: the selection and validation of recycled or bio-based materials, recyclability assessment, physico-chemical characterisation, thermal and mechanical analysis, migration studies, barrier properties, moisture resistance, ageing tests, and analysis using FTIR, DSC, TGA or microscopy, amongst others.

The PPWR will also require closer collaboration between packaging manufacturers, packagers, recyclers, waste management operators, public authorities, distributors and technology centres. Circularity will not be achieved through isolated decisions, but through coordinated value chains capable of designing packaging that is functional for industry, safe for consumers and compatible with existing collection, sorting and recycling systems.

The implementation of the PPWR should not be viewed merely as regulatory pressure, but as an opportunity to anticipate, stand out from the crowd and develop more robust, sustainable and competitive packaging solutions. Companies that start adapting their materials, designs and processes now will be better placed to meet the 2030 requirements and the even stricter demands that will follow.

GAIKER aims to support companies throughout this process: from identifying technical challenges to the experimental validation of new packaging solutions, including the development of circular materials, the assessment of recyclability, the characterisation of performance and the generation of technical evidence to facilitate decision-making.

The circular economy for packaging will not merely be a legal obligation. It will be an opportunity to redesign products, reduce environmental impact, increase resource efficiency and move towards a more innovative, resilient and sustainable industry.

The PPWR is redefining the rules of the game for packaging in Europe. Anticipating is not just about delivering sooner: it is innovating better.

Further information: https://www.gaiker.es/soluciones/envase-y-embalaje/

The ATALAYA project forms part of the CERVERA network of excellence and promotes research into technological solutions to detect and protect against nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological (NRCB) threats.

The GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), is participating in the Cervera ATALAYA Network of Excellence, a strategic project aimed at developing advanced technologies to detect, identify, monitor and protect against CBRN threats.

The aim of the project is to establish a network of technology centres of scientific and technical excellence in the field of security against CBRN threats. In particular, it focuses on the development of technologies capable of preventing, detecting and responding to crisis situations arising from the deliberate or accidental use of these threats.

In the current European security environment, characterised by the growing complexity of threats and the use of indirect methods that are difficult to anticipate, the need for advanced technological solutions is becoming increasingly urgent. The detection, identification, monitoring, protection and decontamination of CBRN agents require a multidisciplinary approach that integrates advances in sensor engineering, biotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and communication systems.

In this context, the ATALAYA network promotes a programme of work aimed at generating knowledge and technological capabilities that can be transferred to industry, in order to address five key challenges: detect and identify threats, protect infrastructure and people, decontaminate affected environments and improve emergency response.

The network, which forms part of the Cervera grant scheme for Technology Centres of excellence in areas linked to the Industrial and Technological Plan for Security and Defence, is led by the ITENE Technology Centre, and involves the participation of the GAIKER, LUREDERRA, NAITEC and INESCOP technology centres, forming an ecosystem of scientific cooperation geared towards technology transfer to industry.

GAIKER’s work
The GAIKER Technology Centre, with extensive experience in the development of biodetection and water treatment technologies, is part of the ATALAYA network, leading and contributing to the development of new solutions to detect biological agents and the decontaminate environments affected by chemical compounds.

In the field of detection, GAIKER is leading the design, development and validation of a new generation of biosensors based on advanced genetic technologies, which are able to quickly and precisely detect biological agents directly in the affected environments. These devices combine advanced genetic analysis techniques (LAMP and CRISPR-Cas) to specifically identify pathogens, providing rapid and reliable results.

In the field of decontamination, GAIKER is developing advanced technologies for the treatment of contaminated water and environments, using efficient and sustainable solutions designed to neutralise biological and chemical agents. To do so, research is being carried out into the use of advanced oxidation processes for the degradation of pollutants present in water, including bacteria, pharmaceutical compounds, herbicides, pesticides and persistent organic pollutants, such as PFAs. The Technology Centre is also researching complementary technologies based on membranes, electro-oxidation and adsorption in order to design a compact, modular, transportable and rapid-response system for water decontamination in critical infrastructures.

Finally, these developments will be assessed against particularly significant chemical and biological agents, helping to strengthen the response capacity in CBRN scenarios.

GAIKER’s participation in the Cervera ATALAYA Network reinforces its commitment to the development of dual-use technologies to protect against emerging threats, and contributes to the development of solutions that have a direct impact on society’s security and resilience.

This project is funded by grants for “Cervera” Technology Centres of Excellence under the 2025 call for proposals, as part of the National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2024–2027.

The project will develop a cross-border value chain to promote the reuse and recycling of textile waste using innovative circular economy solutions.

GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), is taking part in the CircularTexEFA project, “Textile circularity in the border region: optimisation and cooperation for sorting, pre-treatment and recycling of textile waste”, which is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra programme (POCTEFA 2021–2027).

The project, which will run from 2026 to 2028, brings together eleven organisations from Spain and France with the aim of establishing a cross-border circular textile value chain, by organising collection, reuse and recycling schemes for textile waste and promoting more sustainable management of these materials.

CircularTexEFA was created to address the challenge of reducing the volume of textile waste sent to landfill or incineration, by promoting its recovery and reintegration into new production cycles. To this end, the project brings together the stakeholders in the textile value chain — industry, social economy organisations, waste management companies, public authorities and technology centres — with the aim of creating synergies and accelerating the transition towards more circular models.

The methodology is structured around an initial phase of territorial analysis and assessment of textile waste collection and treatment systems, together with an evaluation of the technologies available for their processing. Based on this, an action plan will be drawn up in order to roll out of an efficient cross-border value chain. A demonstration pilot project will be launched later on to cover all stages of the process, from collecting and sorting textile waste to turning it into secondary raw materials using mechanical, thermomechanical and chemical recycling technologies, as well as manufacturing new products using recycled materials.

As part of the project, GAIKER, as an expert in recycling and circular economy, is helping to draw up the study and the action plan for the development of the cross-border textile recycling value chain. It will also research and demonstrate chemical recycling technologies for post-consumer polyester textile waste, with a view to producing high value-added products that can be reintroduced into the industry.

The project consortium
The CircularTexEFA consortium is made up of eleven organisations from Spain and France representing all the stages of the value chain in the textile and waste management sectors. Coordinated by ESTIA, the project includes PLAXTIL, KOOPERA, CETIA, CLOSSA, PICVISA, JR SL, SOKOA, LORPEN, GARBIKER Bizkaia and GAIKER.

Este proyecto está cofinanciado en un 65 % por la Unión Europea en el marco del programa Interreg VI-A España–Francia–Andorra (POCTEFA 2021–2027), cuyo objetivo es reforzar la integración económica y social de la zona transfronteriza.

At GAIKER, we are developing advanced solvolysis solutions for the chemical recycling of plastics, bioplastics and composites, aimed at recovering waste and reclaiming high-value raw materials.

We are working on developing innovative chemical recycling processes using a range of different approaches, such as plastic-to-plastic, plastic-to-chemicals and plastic-to-oil & gas, thereby contributing to the transition towards more efficient, sustainable circular economy models.

We also have specialised equipment and pilot plants that allow us to scale up and validate processes under conditions similar to those found in an industrial setting, thereby facilitating the transfer of technology to industry.

Technological services

• Chemical recycling of PET, PU, PA, PLA, PHA, PBS, CFRP and GFRP using solvolysis processes.
  Glycolysis, hydrolysis, methanolysis and acidolysis.
• Characterisation and conditioning of materials to be treated by solvolysis process.
  Determination of composition and key parameters such as moisture content, density, particle size and composition. Removal of impurities, reduction in size and optimisation of the material for chemical treatment.
• Obtaining monomers and fibres through solvolysis tests and purification operations.
• Analysis and validation of monomers and fibres recovered using the solvolysis process. Pilot-scale assessment.
• Scale-up to a pilot plant for selected processes.
• Conceptual and basic engineering of plants for depolymerising waste using solvolysis.
• Design of depolymerisation plants using catalytic solvolysis and purification of the reaction mixture.
• Assessment of the economic, technical and environmental feasibility of solvolysis processes.
• Comprehensive analysis with the aim of implementing the processes developed in industry in the future.

Equipment:

• 0.5 – 1 – 2 l glass reactors
• 10 l stainless steel reactor
• High pressure Parr reactor (250 bar and 450°C)
• High temperature Parr reactor (up to 800°C)
• High pressure autoclave reactor
• Pilot plants with 140-300 l reactors for industrial scale-up

At GAIKER, we are helping to transform waste into new opportunities for value, by promoting sustainable technological solutions for industry.

Please contact us if you would like to learn more about how we can help you with your chemical recycling and waste recovery processes