The POLIRIN – Polymers from Renewable Sources project is a Versalis research and development initiative focused on the production of fully biodegradable thermoplastic PHA biopolymers derived from renewable resources through innovative bacterial fermentation processes using sugar-based feedstocks.
The project is funded by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) under the Innovation Agreements programme (Ministerial Decree of 31 December 2021 – Project No. F/310160/00/X56 – CUP: B59J23001180005), financed through resources allocated under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR – M4C2-12.2bis). The initiative contributes to the development of advanced solutions supporting the transition towards more sustainable and circular production models, in line with the PNRR’s objectives for innovation and sustainability.
Launched on 5 August 2022 and spanning 36 months, the POLIRIN project was primarily aimed at developing fully biodegradable PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) biopolymers derived from renewable sources.
Project activities focused on:
the development and optimization of innovative bacterial fermentation processes;
the refinement of polymer extraction and purification technologies;
the industrial scale-up of the technologies developed.
In line with the project roadmap, a state-of-the-art pilot plant was designed, constructed and commissioned to validate the production process and assess its suitability for industrial-scale application.
The biopolymers developed were subjected to material characterization and application testing to evaluate their performance across key industrial processing technologies, including extrusion, injection moulding and film production. These activities enabled the identification of the most promising application areas and supported the market introduction of the new materials.
PHAs represent a viable alternative to fossil-based polymers and can be used either as standalone materials or in combination with other bioplastics, such as PLA, PBAT and PBS, thereby expanding their range of potential applications.
The project successfully achieved all the objectives established under the Sustainable Growth Fund within the framework of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR – M4C2-12.2bis, Innovation Agreements), contributing to the development of high-impact technological initiatives.
Total investment in research and development activities amounted to €4 million. In support of the project, MIMIT granted non-repayable funding covering up to 50% of eligible industrial research costs and 25% of eligible experimental development costs.
At the same time, POLIRIN adopted an integrated approach focused on sustainability and process efficiency, with the objective of maximizing performance while reducing environmental impacts throughout the entire production cycle. In doing so, the project contributes to the development of an increasingly circular and sustainable value chain.
