The Bio4Circularity network continues to gain momentum, marking a successful second year of operation. Since the concept was introduced in 2024, premium members have collaborated on developing new project ideas and proposals.
At the network’s kick-off, the first members of Bio4Circularity included Manchester Metropolitan University, IVL Swedish Environment Institute, MeKreo Engineering, Prospex Institute, Tallinn University of Technology, YAGHMA B.V., Cranfield University, University of Bologna, Kaunas University of Technology, Foodscale Hub, and the Spanish National Research Council. Their collaboration led to the development of four project proposals, one of which was approved. This achievement resulted in the launch of a joint CBE-JU project. Together, the IVL Swedish Environment Institute, University of Bologna, and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences joined forces to kick off the INSOIL project, officially starting work in June 2025. In September 2025, an additional 4 proposals were developed; the team is awaiting results at the beginning of 2026 and is excited to share new success stories!
In 2025, additional premium members joined the network – the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, AgFutura, GreenGrowthPlatform, RuKaInnovation B.V., Particula Group, and AVIPE, expanding the Bio4Circularity network to 17 highly skilled institutions and professionals. Together, they are actively preparing new project proposals planned for submission in 2026. In parallel, the Bio4Circularity network continues to promote and support its premium members by strengthening their scientific output and visibility. In 2025 alone, five scientific papers were successfully published, reflecting the growing impact of the network’s collaborative efforts.
The team from Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, RuKaInnovation B.V., University of Bologna, IVL, and Manchester Metropolitan University published an article in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering on innovative strategies for identifying and grouping chemicals and nanomaterials (Barbir et al, 2025). Additionally, the team provided further insights into the plastic sphere – in collaboration with Kaunas University of Technology, University of Bologna, and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the municipal plastic and multilayer packaging waste in the Baltic States was characterized (Lyshtva et al., 2025), and the carbon emissions in the lifecycle of plastic production were reviewed (Leal Filho et al., 2025). Tallinn University of Technology and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences also analyzed the performance of degradable additives in PBS materials for food packaging (Moliner et al., 2025). Together with the University of Bologna and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, the team provided insights into tourism intensity and plastic waste management in European capital cities (Foschi et al., 2025).
Full bibliographic list
- Foschi, E., Barbir, J.*, Mersico, L. et al. (2025). Tourism intensity and plastic waste management insights from European capital cities. Discov Sustain 6, 419. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-00977-5
- Lyshtva, P., Torkelis, A., Kobets, Y., Carpio-Vallejo, E., Dobri, A., Barbir, J., Voronova, V., Denafas, G. & Kliucininkas, L. (2025). Characterization of the Municipal Plastic and Multilayer Packaging Waste in Three Cities of the Baltic States. Sustainability, 17(3), 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030986
- Leal Filho, W., Barbir, J., Carpio-Vallejo, E., Dobri, A. & Voronova, V. (2025). Decarbonising the plastic industry: A review of carbon emissions in the lifecycle of plastics production. PubMed, 999, 180337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180337
- Moliner, C., Drago, E., Lagazzo, A., Caputo, S., Pettinato, M., Finocchio, E., Perego, P., Barbir, J. & Arato, E. (2025). Performance of PBS materials with degradable additives for food packaging. Journal Of Food Engineering, 112769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2025.112769
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