Clara Bilbao

We continue making progress to close the cycle of complex plastic materials by developing chemical recycling technologies

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The NEOPLAST 2 project defines the procedures to obtain quality products from complex plastic waste through chemical recycling technologies.

The NEOPLAST 2 project, led by the GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance, BRTA, was completed last March.

NEOPLAST 2 began in 2023 and sought to carry out research to develop, improve and adapt chemical recycling processes that facilitate the conversion of different plastic waste into high quality resources, capable of fulfilling the specifications required of the most demanding secondary raw material markets. The aim was to generate knowledge to enable the industrial sector to make better, more sustainable and circular use of plastic materials.

Upon its completion, the project has fulfilled its objective. It has been successful in defining procedures to develop products that meet the quality required to be re-integrated into the production cycles in the plastics, chemical and refining industries through chemical recycling based on different complex plastic waste streams, which are currently sent to landfill.

The following results should be highlighted:

• Combination of solvolysis and product purification processes to obtain monomers and precursors to manufacture new polyesters and polyurethanes
• Integration of pyrolysis and separation processes to obtain hydrocarbon fractions for the production of new polyolefins and adsorbent materials.
• Development of two-stage gasification processes to generate hydrogen gas from plastic waste
• Opening up of new process paths, such as bio-recycling, using micro-organisms or enzymes
• Extending the new processes to families of plastic waste that are hardly recycled at present, such as thermoset composites.

On the other hand, it has been possible to verify the environmental improvement as a result of the new chemical recycling processes developed through the life cycle analysis study. The reduction of negative impacts on both people and the natural environment has been confirmed with respect to current landfill practices for complex plastic waste.

NEOPLAST 2 has been funded by the Basque Government, within its ELKARTEK aid programme for fundamental collaborative research (File KK-2023/00060). In addition to the GAIKER Technology Centre, which has acted as coordinator, four other Basque technological actors (the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the UPV/EHU, Tecnalia and Polymat) have participated in its success and ensuring that the Basque industrial sector can close the cycles of plastic materials, applying chemical recycling technologies to treat their waste and generate valuable products.

Subsidised by the Basque Government

Microbial biofactories

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At GAIKER, we use microorganisms as biofactories, taking advantage of their natural ability to produce and degrade compounds of interest in a sustainable and efficient way.

We transform microorganisms into production and bioremediation platforms for various uses such as functional ingredients, cosmetics, biofuels, bioplastics, enzymes and chemicals, all of which contribute to building a circular economy.

With more than 30 years of experience, at GAIKER we design customised solutions to maximise the sustainability and competitiveness of companies, offering an innovative and ecological approach that transforms industrial processes towards a cleaner and more efficient future.

Want to know more? Contact us

Present at Cosmetotest

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GAIKER, member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), will participate in the fourth edition of Cosmetotest at the ENS Jacques Monod in Lyon (France) on 14th and 15th May.

The Technology Centre will exhibit its range of R&D&I services in the field of dermo-cosmetics at a stand shared with Dr. Goya Análisis and Anmar Clinical Services. On the first day, it will also participate in the Exposome & Pollution (skin, scalp & hair) session, presenting the talk on "Comprehensive Exposome Assessment in Skin, Scalp, and Hair: Advanced Methodologies for Developing Personalised Solutions".

Cosmetotest, created by Cosmet'in Lyon and Skinobs in 2021, is the Annual International Cosmetics and Dermo-cosmetics Preclinical and Clinical Testing Symposium. Scientists from all over the world gather at this event to explore innovations and trends in cosmetic testing.

Further information

 

GAIKER has participated in the development of circular solutions for carbon and glass fibre composites.

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  • The European MC4 project has been successfully completed after three years of research.
  • Its final meeting took place at the GAIKER Technology Centre.

The final meeting and demonstrators' exhibition of the European MC4 project on Multi-level Circular Process Chain for Carbon and Glass Fibre Composites, funded by the European Commission (HORIZON-CL4-2021-RESILIENCE-01 call) was held on 25th and 26th March.

The meeting, which was held at the GAIKER Technology Centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), was attended by the Project Officer and the Project Advisor appointed by the European Commission in addition to the project coordinator, PROFACTOR GmbH (Austria) and all the other project partners.

The MC4 project started in April 2022 with the aim of developing short- and medium-term technological solutions to the problem of recycling carbon and glass fibre reinforced composites. The main challenges of this research was to find solutions for the high consumption of these fibre-reinforced plastics (FRPs) due to their high performance,, the increased demand for recycled materials to reduce environmental impact or the need to find ways of managing composite waste other than landfill.

After three years of work, MC4 has come to an end with positive results. Research has been carried out on a recycling alternative based on a chemical process, applicable to cured waste and end-of-life parts of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRPs) already on the market. As a result of this research, the process of solvolysis of CFRPs has been developed on a laboratory scale, selecting a suitable medium and conditions to carry out an acid hydrolysis process of the resin and produce recycled carbon fibres (rCFs) from the composite. The laboratory results have also served as the basis for building a functional pilot plant for the solvolysis of waste CFRPs, in which the core element is a 300 L reactor, to demonstrate the process and clean rCFs have been produced and incorporated into new CFRPs products. It has been determined through this pilot plant that it is feasible to scale this process to an industrial level, which could provide a solution to the management of carbon and glass fibre reinforced composite waste from sectors such as the automotive, naval, aeronautical, sports equipment and urban furniture industries.

In conclusion, the main objective of the project has been fulfilled and different circular solutions for carbon and glass fibre composites have been developed.

Conference on circular economy and composite materials

Coinciding with the final meeting of the MC4 project, the GAIKER Technology Centre and ACLIMA (Basque Environment Cluster) organised the conference on the "Circular economy applied to composite materials" on 27th March, in which the results of the MC4 project and its applications in the automotive, naval, aeronautical, sports equipment and urban furniture sectors were presented.

The conference was held at the Waste Lab Bizkaia facilities (Derio) and was very well received.

More information on the project at: https://www.mc4-project.eu/

This project received funding from the European Commission's HORIZON research and development programme under contract number 101057394

At In-Cosmetics Global

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In-Cosmetics Global 2025 will be held in Amsterdam from 8th to 10th April.

For yet another year, GAIKER, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), will be presenting its range of R&D&I services in the field of dermo-cosmetics and will share a stand with Dr. Goya Análisis and Anmar Clinical Services, like in previous years.  

In-cosmetics Global brings together the global cosmetics industry by driving innovation, fostering connections and putting forward ideas that shape the future of beauty. It is the ultimate platform to explore new ingredients, discover emerging trends and develop formulas that captivate consumers and meet their expectations.

Visit us at stand 12D50!

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Optidel Biosystems receives backing from venture capital investors

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The Optidel Biosystems start-up will open up new frontiers in the development of advanced ingredients and customised solutions for the cosmetics sector

The Optidel Biosystems, S.L. start-up has been backed by the Basque Government’s Venture Capital Management Company (SPRI Group) through the BasketekVenture, FCR fund, which is part of the Basque Tek Ventures initiative. The addition of this new partner to its capital will enable the company to enhance its research capabilities and accelerate the expansion of its product range. Thanks to this strategic partnership, Optidel Biosystems aims to position itself as a leader in technological innovation in the cosmetics sector.

Optidel Biosystems was founded in 2023 by the GAIKER Technology Centre. Located in Bizkaia, it is a pioneer in the research and development of advanced cosmetic ingredients, with an exclusive focus on the application of innovative technologies to improve the solubility and stability of natural active ingredients, such as polyphenols. These compounds, known for their potent antioxidant properties and skin benefits, are uniquely harnessed through a patented technology platform.

Optidel Biosystems is committed to transforming cosmetics by creating customised solutions, using cutting-edge technology that optimises product formulation for companies in the sector and for discerning consumers looking for visible and effective results. Thanks to this technology, it is able to deliver concentrated active ingredients, maximising their efficacy in products for topical use.

More about Optidel Biosystems

Focused on a vision of sustained growth, in which innovation and sustainability are its fundamental pillars, Optidel Biosystems aims to continue to lead the way in the creation of new cosmetic ingredients that not only deliver clinically effective results for its customers, but are also environmentally friendly thanks to the integration of cutting-edge technologies and state-of-the-art scientific methodologies.

Its roadmap for the coming years includes clear goals to further drive research and development of new technological solutions, expand its operations and increase efficiency in its production processes. In this way, it seeks to consolidate its position as a global benchmark in the creation of advanced cosmetic ingredients, contributing to a more sustainable future and anticipating and responding to the demands of an increasingly discerning market.

Optidel Biosystems has been backed by the Basque Government through the SPRI Group – Basque Country Venture Capital Management Company’s Basque Tek Venture initiative. Basque Tek Ventures is a new initiative aimed at supporting, accompanying and investing in the creation of new technology-based companies (deeptech) based on technologies generated by the centres that are part of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA).

The initiative has its own fund ( BasketekVenture, FCR) that invests in the new start-ups created. It identifies and prioritises the technological assets with the greatest potential, supports the creation of high-performance teams and accompanies the setting up of the company and its access to the market through this technology transfer fund.

https://optidelbiosystems.com