Large-scale circular production of a myco-material capable of replacing polluting materials in the packaging and insulation sectors, obtained from organic waste transformed by the action of mycelium

Introduction

The clock is ticking: Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, said: “To achieve climate-neutrality by 2050, to preserve our natural environment, and to strengthen our economic competitiveness requires a fully circular economy. Today, our economy is still mostly linear." Current recycling solutions will not be sufficient to achieve this goal. The answer lies in solutions that are both innovative and operational.

Project Overview

Carried by PermaFungi, a Belgian company that has been pioneering the circular economy since 2013, the PermaLIFE project addresses two major issues of our time:

1. The overabundance of organic waste
2. The omnipresence of polluting materials

As an answer, PermaLIFE creates a revolutionary virtuous cycle: the large-scale production of a natural, innovative, and circular myco-material - capable of replacing polluting materials in the packaging and insulation sectors - obtained from urban organic waste naturally transformed by the action of mycelium.

Objectives

By the end of the project, the objective of PermaLIFE is to:

• Produce 5 tons of myco-materials
• Recycle 6.23 tons of urban waste per month

The two-year project aims to optimize the collection of municipal waste and to implement a production chain inspired by soft chemistry.

Long-term Impact

Over the next 5 years (2025-2029), PermaLIFE will:

• Save 2,400 tons of CO2
• Recycle 500 tons of organic waste
• Replace 400 tons of high-carbon products in the insulation and packaging sectors
• Create at least 9 new jobs

The increase in production will result in a 95% price reduction of end products, which will become economically competitive compared to current polluting materials.

Conclusion

Thus, the PermaLIFE project will act as a catalyst in Belgium. By connecting and raising awareness among academic institutions, entrepreneurs, regional authorities, and the general public around a major innovation, it will inspire other biomaterials initiatives and contribute to the transition of the Belgian chemical industry.