The accumulation of plastic waste remains a significant environmental challenge despite the alarming evidence and public efforts, emphasizing the need for biodegradable alternatives and appropriate remediation strategies. In this study, 

 DG19 was evaluated for capacity to degrade a selection of biomaterials that are increasingly penetrating market as readily degradable alternatives. 

 DG19 rapidly degraded poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) films in liquid culture (96% weight loss in 7 days) and demonstrated activity against poly(ε-caprolactone) in both agar-based and liquid culture experiments and against cellulose in Congo red assay. 3-Hydroxybutyrate and lactic acid were also metabolized. Genomic analysis identified a number of enzymes involved in carbohydrate and bioplastic degradation. A putative extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase (SmPHBase) containing a variant substrate binding domain, and other enzymes involved in 3-hydroxybutyrate metabolism, were of special interest. The presence of > 30 biosynthetic gene clusters highlights this strain’s potential for upcycling bioplastic-containing waste. Soil burial tests demonstrated substantial weight loss in pure biomaterial films and multilayer consumable items containing PHB, showcasing the applicability of 

 DG19 as a composting enhancer. Overall, the findings highlight the pertinence of specialized bacterial strains to biomaterial recycling and upcycling.

Degradation of biomaterials by Streptomyces microflavus DG19: depolymerization activity, genome mining, and soil burial assessment

 (PTN) and the University of Groningen, took place in Groningen, the Netherlands from 22-27 June 2025. The EPF Congress, serving as the flagship event of the European Polymer Federation (EPF), is the most significant European congress in the field of Polymer Science and Technology. Originating in 1986 with 16 European countries as founding members, EPF has since expanded to include 24 full members and 4 associate members.

” EPF Congress was a landmark event, with over 1200 participants and with more than 60% of PhD students. The congress hosted scientists engaged in macromolecular chemistry, polymer science, physics of polymers and polymer materials, modern polymer applications, polymer reaction engineering, rheology and polymer processing, polymer characterization methods, and more. Special thematic sessions covered a wide array of topics, including:

Supramolecular polymer systems, dynamic networks and vitrimers

Polymers for biological, medical and food applications

Polymer systems for reduced carbon footprint

Recycling techniques & design for recycling

Nanostructured polymers, composites, blends and soft matter

Theory, modelling and AI approaches of polymers and their properties

EcoPlastiC project results were presented by Dr Marijana Ponjavic from 

Group for Eco-Biotechnology and Drug Development

, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering (IMGGE), University of Belgrade. She contributed with an oral presentation 

“Merging polyurethanes and polyhydroxyalkanoates into high-performance biopolymers”

 co-authored by Branko Dunjic, Sanja Skaro Bogojevic (IMGGE), Jasmina Nikodinovic-Runic (IMGGE), Chebrolu Venkateswara Rao and Maciej Guzik, within in the 

Dr Marijana Ponjavic (IMGGE representative) during her presentation “Merging polyurethanes and polyhydroxyalkanoates into high-performance biopolymers”

EcoPlastiC at European Polymer Federation Congress – EPF2025

8th Workshop on Purple Phototrophic Bacteria in wastewater treatment: challenges, opportunities and potential for resource recovery

CA21146 - Fundamentals and applications of purple bacteria biotechnology for resource recovery from waste (PURPLEGAIN)

 is a four-year networking action that aims at creating a European network to share information, facilitating technology and knowledge transfer between the academic and industrial sectors, related to Purple Photosynthetic Bacteria (PPB) applications for resource recovery from organic waste sources. Resource recovery includes wastewater or organic waste, open or closed environments, in single or chain processes.

The workshop was held at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, Turkey, from 1-2 July 2025 and the objective of this event was to foster the dialogue between industry and academia on PPB in environmental biotechnology, with special emphasis on wastewater treatment and resource recovery. The Book of Abstracts is available 

To present findings from the EcoPlastiC project, Prof. Maria A. M. Reis (NOVA) gave an invited lecture titled “Emerging strategies for the bioconversion of wastes into biodegradable polymers”, where she delved into the latest results obtained by 

8th Workshop on PPB in wastewater treatment: challenges, opportunities and potential for resource recovery