The reached results according to identified impacts are:
- Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution by 2025: SEALIVE project has identified potential innovative sustainable business models for the project’s demonstrators, as well as, it has been examined the different value chains available to create circular business models. Through the validation of demonstrators SEALIVE has ensure pollution reduction of soils (ex: biodegradable mulching films), a reduction of packaging waste by implementing the organic recycling and also the reuse with reusable fishing crates.
- Deliver solutions with work starting at TRL 5 and achieving TRL 6-8, where technological innovation is involved. In the case of the production of biopolymers from microalgae and organic wastes has been reach at laboratory and pilot scale, and new biodegradable solutions based on innovative blending technicques have successfully achieves TRL between 6-8.
- Sealive has evaluated the sorting of developed materials using NIR facilities, using as indicated PLA thermoformed blends. This process has been performed at TRL 7-8, using an industrial scale sorting facility which has been fed with samples. Alternative approaches such as RFID and fluorescent tracers have been evaluated as well.
- Deliver results in a form that allows for efficient feedback into policymaking in research, innovation and technology, in particular in the EU Plastic Strategy: SEALIVES consortiumhass actively worked to map all relevant EU and related policies and measures that directly address bioplastics. Some members have cooperated by reviewing of existing policies, new policies, policy implementation, etc., and have participated at different policy events.
- SEALIVE Training Kit, which consists of modular, interactive training material aiming to build capacity regarding key issues addressed by SEALIVE, including plastic pollution, climate change, bioplastics, and the circular economy. Overall, 325 people across 7 countries were trained using the SEALIVE Training Kit. Additionally, the project implemented Knowledge Transfer Events in 5 countries not participating in the project consortium, namely Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Bulgaria and Malta, reaching over 500 and actively engaging 304 stakeholders representing potential end-users of the project’s products. During the Knowledge Transfer Events, information was shared about the project and its products, complemented by an interactive product exhibition, while a condensed version of the SEALIVE Training was implemented. Finally, a Brokerage Event was held in Valencia, Spain on March 7th, 2024, engaging 64 stakeholders from 15 different countries. During the Brokerage Event, participants had the opportunity to hear from the project partners and invited experts about bioplastics, the development of novel materials and products, innovative waste management and End-of-Life options, and see the products developed by SEALIVE.
