SOUL brings together 17 partners from 5 EU countries. Spain: Fundación AITIIP (project coordinator), EVOenzyme, CSIC- Spanish National Research Council, Asetaga, AIMPLAS – Plastics Technology Centre. Italy: Moses, Novamont, Tenax S.p.A., Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, Re Soil Foundation. Portugal: Amorim Cork Solutions, Sicor, Holoss. Ireland: Samco Agricultural Manufacturing.
Blegium: Normec OWS, European Bioeconomy Bureau. Poland: IUNG – Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation. Plus one associated partner based in Switzerland: Bedoukian.

The ambition of the project is to develop 11 Bio-Based and Biodegradable-in-soil Product Solutions (BPSs), each produced with materials sourced from sustainably managed feedstocks such as residues from agriculture, by-products of the agri-food industry, and crops cultivated on marginal lands. With a content of over 95% Renewable Raw Materials, SOUL’s BPSs are engineered to perform reliably during use and then to fully biodegrade in soil, minimising environmental impact at end-of-life.

“The SOUL project represents a crucial step towards a truly circular bioeconomy for plastics that end up in our soils,” says Dr Carolina Peñalva, Project Coordinator. “Our goal is to create sustainable, high-performance materials that work in harmony with the environment, rather than against it. By preventing soil pollution and reducing our carbon footprint, we can protect ecosystems for future generations.”

The 11 product solutions developed within SOUL include mulch films, clips, twines, pheromone dispensers, turf nets, tree shelters, controlled-release fertiliser coatings, and infill for artificial turf. The new solutions, compatible with existing plastic manufacturing technologies, will be rigorously tested under real-world conditions across 5 EU regions with diverse climatic profiles: Spain, Italy, Portugal, Poland, and Ireland.
The goal of testing under real-world conditions is to validate that the 11 BPSs biodegrade in soil and are compatible with a range of end-of-life scenarios, including composting, reuse, and recycling.

SOUL will comprehensively assess the safety, sustainability, and circularity of each solution throughout its full life cycle, delivering measurable greenhouse gas savings and providing policy road mapping recommendations for the sector.