The “Des Générations Plastiques” participatory research project launched by the Université de Caen ABTE and Le Dôme science centre is now being rolled out. Up to 2000 kits will be distributed among the general public to test a new generation of bioplastic and explore its potential uses.
Bioplastics are a real alternative given the plastic pollution weighing on the environment. That said, it’s still very early days for them. Over 98.5% of plastics are still petroleum-based. Then the 1.5% bio-based plastics, meaning made from plant materials, aren’t all 100% biodegradable.
The ABTE research centre (food, bioprocessing, toxicology and environment) at Normandy’s Université de Caen and the flax producer Depestele are exploring a new, 100% bio-based and 100% biodegradable material made from PHA (a bioplastic produced by bacteria) and flax as part of the mixed research project: Prosperity.
The “Des Générations Plastiques” participatory project advances bioplastics research
The ABTE lab joined forces with Le Dôme, a science centre based in Caen, to launch a participatory research project called “Des Générations Plastiques” to get the public on board.
The idea is to explore what’s at stake in terms of plastic pollution, study how bioplastics break down and find new uses for PHAs with users.
“We wanted the project to be as participatory as possible. We wanted the general public to be involved in every stage of the research project, from outlining hypotheses to compiling results,” says Arnaud Rioual, in charge of “Des Générations Plastiques” at the science centre.
Since launching in 2023, 300 people have attended workshops and conferences to help draft the protocol for the research project which is now being rolled out.
Bioplastics testing kits ready for public distribution in Normandy
Le Dôme will distribute 2000 “Des Générations Plastiques” kits over the new few months. Starting in Normandy at the Fête de la Science (science festival in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Elbeuf, Evreux, Rouen, Le Havre etc.) and the next FÊNO festival celebrating Normandy excellence between October 18th and 20th. The rest of France hasn’t been left out, with kits available at the Va Savoir Festival in Montpellier in late October.
The kits have several strips of different combinations of PHA and flax set in a frame made from PLA (a bio-based plastic that isn’t biodegradable in natural conditions). Participants have to bury it 20cm deep in their garden or leave it on their balcony for 4 months. There will also be tests at sea.
That way we can test the bioplastic in real conditions in Normandy and other regions to get as much data as possible. We can check if the new material is actually biodegradable, how biodegradable it is and which conditions it needs to break down.
Participants will also have to complete a questionnaire about how much plastic they use and buy for the duration of the experiment.
Results expected in 2026
Once the kits and data have been collected, the first results from the “Des Générations Plastiques” project will start being analysed in September 2025.
“We will ask members of the public about potential uses for the new bioplastic as well as how we will use the findings of the study,” says the project leader.
The results of the “Des Générations Plastiques” participatory research project are expected in 2026… Four years before the EU objective for all packaging to be recyclable in 2030.
Thematics
