we are taking steps towards a sustainable future...
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Research program financed by Mistra - The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research
Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways
Facts about STEPSFinancial support: 45 MSEK from MistraProgram period: 2016-2020Program host: Lund UniversityProgram Director: Rajni Hatti-Kaul
Chair of Program Board: Britt-Marie Bertilsson
We are taking STEPS towards a sustainable future!
Contact STEPS
Program Director
Prof. Rajni Hatti-Kaul
rajni.hatti-ka
Program Coordinator & Secretary
Josefin Ahlqvist
josefin.ahlqv
www.sustainable
-steps.se
Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways
STEPS is a research program with a vision of a future society where plastics are sustainably produced, used and recycled in a circular economy. The goal is to instigate and accelerate this sustainability transition by strengthening the knowledge and research base for technology/product development/innovation, to develop and assess key niche products with industrial partners, and to analyze the institutional and policy implications of potential transition pathways.
STEPS program is formulated together with industrial partners to reflect market needs for renewable plastics. The target is to design eco-friendly plastics by matching appropriate carbon-neutral building blocks and their derivatives. Major focus in the program is on polyesters - a plastics group with varying properties for wide range of applications and a sizable global market.
has the main task to analyze potential transition pathways to develop research-
based advice on policy and industrial strategies for sustainability in the longer term. This WP also addresses the broader governance implications for a circular plastics economy, including social dimensions and the role of citizens and consumers. Besides, it will aid the program in assessing the environmental and economic viability of products and processes to support early deployment.
combines suitable bio-based building blocks to produce “drop-in” as well as novel polyesters that will be characterized and evaluated for target applications.
Modified natural polymers are also produced and evaluated as components in certain plastic formulations. Key features would be suitability for processing and applications, recyclability, biodegradability and use of non-toxic additives.
has a focus on developing environmentally benign and competitive technologies based on green chemistry and biotechnology for production of
building blocks from renewable feedstocks with a goal to replace fossil feedstock and for meeting the needs for different applications as packaging, textile fibers, films etc.
Research in STEPS is divided into three work packages (WPs)
WP1
WP3
WP2