BioPackMan – Biodegradable Packaging Materials Advancing Circularity, Sustainability & Eco-Innovation, a cutting-edge research and innovation project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, started on 1 June 2025 and is planned to end on 31 May 2029. The project sets out with an ambitious goal: to develop truly circular and biodegradable packaging materials capable of addressing today’s most pressing environmental challenges.
BioPackMan brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of research centers, technology providers, material converters, and industrial brands from across Europe, all committed to reducing the environmental footprint of plastic packaging. At the heart of BioPackMan is the development of next-generation biodegradable polymer materials (BDPMs) such as PHAs, PBS/PBSA, and PLA. These materials are being designed to meet demanding performance requirements in terms of mechanical strength, gas barrier properties, and thermal and chemical resistance. The project will deliver four innovative biodegradable formulations and six sustainable additive systems, incorporating natural ingredients such as cellulose nanomaterials, nanolignin, and plant-based extracts.
Throughout the project, six packaging demonstrators will be developed for key application sectors including food, personal care, and home care. The entire innovation process will be guided by the principles of Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD), with a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and lifecycle thinking.
One of BioPackMan’s distinguishing features is its system-level approach to biodegradation, considering it not just as a material property but as an integral aspect of functionality and end-of-life management. Multi-tier biodegradation testing will be carried out under various environmental conditions, reflecting both intended and unintended disposal scenarios. Furthermore, the new materials will be benchmarked against conventional plastics such as PP, PE, and PET, to assess their circularity and replacement potential.
The project’s consortium is coordinated by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) – RnanoLab and 18 other partners from the industry and academia all over Europe.
More information about the project are available on the official website of the project (https://biopackman.eu/) and CORDIS platform (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101178576)
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