AIMPLAS-led initiative will use advanced biotechnology to recycle degraded marine plastics into valuable materials for fisheries and aquaculture applications.
The OCEANZYME project has been launched to develop innovative enzymatic recycling technologies capable of transforming degraded marine plastic waste into valuable new resources. The initiative brings together AIMPLAS, the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), and the Vertidos Cero Association to address one of the most challenging forms of plastic pollution—highly degraded marine litter that cannot be effectively recycled using conventional mechanical methods.
Running from 2026 to 2028, the project adopts an integrated scientific approach combining metagenomic analysis, enzymatic characterization, molecular simulations, and the isolation of plastic-degrading bacteria. Researchers aim to identify naturally occurring enzymes capable of breaking down weathered marine plastics into reusable chemical building blocks, creating a new pathway for recovering value from waste collected from the ocean.
A key element of the initiative involves passive fishing campaigns in the North Atlantic and Levantine–Balearic marine regions, where fishermen will help recover marine litter from the seabed. The collected plastic waste will be analyzed to determine its composition, degradation level, and microbial communities before undergoing enzymatic recycling trials.
Unlike mechanical recycling, which often struggles with heavily degraded plastics due to the loss of their physical and mechanical properties, enzymatic recycling targets the polymer structure at the molecular level. This enables the recovery of raw materials from plastics that would otherwise be unsuitable for conventional recycling, supporting a more circular plastics economy.
Beyond plastic recycling, the project will evaluate how the recovered materials can be applied in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, creating new opportunities to convert marine waste into useful products. The initiative also aims to improve understanding of plastic-degrading microorganisms and accelerate the development of scalable biotechnology solutions for the plastics industry.
Co-financed by the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) through Spain’s Pleamar Programme, OCEANZYME represents a significant step toward sustainable marine waste management. By combining biotechnology with advanced polymer science, the project seeks to reduce ocean plastic pollution while unlocking new value from difficult-to-recycle plastic waste.