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Bioplastic’s Valorisation by Anaerobic Co-Digestion with WWTP Mixed Sludge
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Researchers evaluated continuous anaerobic co-digestion of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) with wastewater treatment plant sludge, finding 68-75% PHB degradation in batch tests and complete degradation in continuous reactors, which boosted biomethanisation rates from 44% up to 72% — demonstrating AD as a viable end-of-life pathway for this bioplastic.
Bioplastics are designed to degrade at the end of their lifecycle, but effective management of their end-of-life phase and integration into existing organic waste management systems remain significant challenges. Some bioplastics decompose under anaerobic conditions, with the anaerobic digestion (AD) process being a potential solution for their disposal. AD is a promising technology for valorising organic wastes, enabling biomethane production, reducing carbon footprints, and promoting product circularity. This study focuses on evaluating the continuous co-digestion of bioplastics with mixed sludge from an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was the selected bioplastic, as various studies have reported its high and rapid degradation under anaerobic mesophilic conditions. PHB’s biodegradability under typical WWTP anaerobic digestion conditions (35 °C, 20-day retention time) was assessed in batch tests and the results indicate that PHB degradation ranged from 68 to 75%, depending on particle size. To further explore the potential of AD for PHB valorisation, the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of PHB with WWTP sludge was tested on a continuous laboratory scale using two digesters: a conventional digester (CSTR) and an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). The results indicated complete degradation of PHB, which led to higher biomethanisation percentages in both digesters, rising from 58% to 70% in the AnMBR and from 44% to 72% in the CSTR. The notable increase observed in the CSTR was attributed to changes in microbial populations that improved sludge biodegradability.
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This review examines strategies to improve the breakdown of bioplastics—including PLA, PHB, and starch-based materials—through anaerobic digestion, finding that pretreatment techniques (mechanical, thermal, and enzymatic) combined with co-digestion of food waste or sewage sludge can significantly boost methane yields and support circular waste management.
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Researchers investigated the biodegradation of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB)-based bioplastic film in anaerobic digesters treating food waste, testing whether bioaugmentation with Alcaligenes faecalis and Bacillus megaterium could accelerate degradation and improve methane generation. They found that the bacterial additions significantly enhanced PHB breakdown, with optimal fractions of 50% A. faecalis and 75% B. megaterium, while shifting microbial communities toward genera including Methanosarcina and Methanosaeta.
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Researchers evaluated thermal and alkaline pretreatments for PHB and PLA bioplastics to enhance anaerobic digestion, finding pretreatment increased biochemical methane potential by over 100% and reduced lag times before methane production. Bench-scale co-digesters fed synthetic primary sludge with PHB achieved 80-98% conversion to biomethane, with a 5% increase in total biomethane output.
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Researchers investigated anaerobic co-digestion of bioplastics (PLA and PHA) with food waste under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions, finding synergistic effects that enhanced methane production yields, demonstrating that co-digestion could be an effective strategy for managing bioplastic waste while generating renewable energy.
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Researchers systematically reviewed the anaerobic biodegradability of commercial bioplastics, finding that degradation rates vary widely depending on polymer type and blend composition, and that current testing standards are insufficient to predict real-world breakdown under both controlled and uncontrolled conditions.
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