Proposals under this topic should:

• Select applications for biodegradable bio-based materials and products. Such applications should include materials and products which show environmental benefits from being biodegradable in one (or more) of the following cases:
  • i) controlled environments (if separately collected after their use), such as industrial composting plants, anaerobic digesters and home-composting, for example in cases where products and materials are contaminated from food or from other organic substances during their use;
  • ii) open environments, for example in those cases of uncontrolled waste littering, or in those cases where the products are used already in the open environment and their biodegradation ‘in situ’ is the expected end-of-life.
• Identify gaps and needs of existing methods and standards to test the biodegradability of materials and certification schemes applicable to the bio-based material and products selected.
• Select a set of combinations of bio-based products and end-of-life environments. The set of combinations should cover all of the following end-of-life pathways in: industrial composting plants, anaerobic digesters and home-composting, as controlled environments, and soil and water, as open environments. The choice of products and applications should be based on the review of existing standards and gaps and on the indications from the current legislative framework, as well on current market volume, projected market volume (to capture emerging materials) and, in the case of end-of-life in open environments, the likelihood of the product being released (fully or partially) to the environment during its use of afterwards.
• Design new/improve existing tests of biodegradability in the specific environments for the selected set of combinations, under representative ranges of physical/chemical conditions. The tests should include the monitoring of all relevant environmental impacts, including, but not limited to, emissions, eco-toxicity and any impacts on natural ecosystems, from biodegraded materials, including from micro-plastics, and from their additives during the biodegradation process. The tests should include, as a parameter of biodegradation process, the time-frame of partial up to full biodegradation. A risk assessment should be planned as well, based on the monitored parameters.
• Validate the tests of biodegradability of the selected set of combinations and develop protocols for their replication. The trials of biodegradation of bio-based materials in different environments should be performed and monitored under representative ranges of physical/chemical conditions.
• Develop a proposal for the development and/or the update of standards for tests of biodegradability for the selected applications.
• Perform a survey among the concerned consumers and end-of-life stakeholders to get insights on the information necessary on the correct use and end-of-life disposal options of the selected bio-based products. This includes information about the specific conditions/environments for use and end-of-life (e.g., recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, home-composting, ‘in situ’ biodegradation, etc.) and recommendations on the integration of such information in the existing labelling systems.
• Design measures to deliver transparent communication, aiming at improved societal acceptance of bio-based innovation and at supporting consumers, public procurers and the business-to-business market in making responsible and informed choices. It should include the information about the environmental impacts, including on ecosystems, of uncontrolled disposal and of uncontrolled littering into the open environments and of the consequent risks.