The overall aim of the research project is to chemically pretreat post-consumer mixed plastic waste through advanced oxidation processes. Adding oxygen containing functional groups on the material surface and forming smaller oligomers that will allow for enhanced biological degradation to form value added chemicals.

To investigate the potential of growing alternative sources of plant protein on the Island of Ireland that can service the bioeconomy as climate neutral feedstuffs for bioprocessing and food.

To optimise the frontloading of the pasteurisation process required for AD plants and carry it out at a single centralised facility and upgrading food waste to a high value feedstock. Enhance biomethane generation in food waste anaerobic digestion processes and improve resource recovery from digestate.

This project will establish and analyse the actual and potential sustainability (i.e. social, economic and environmental) impacts of ICT-mediated food sharing initiatives (FSIs), which include community growing, cooking, eating and surplus food redistribution activities, for waste prevention and reduction in Ireland in order to develop appropriate policy supports to meet SDG Target 12.3: to halve global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses, including postharvest losses, along supply chains by 2030. The PhD student will gain important transdisciplinary and team work skills throughout the project, refining and applying the SHARING SOLUTIONS approach alongside the existing SHARING SOLUTIONS team, developing novel metrics for aggregating sustainability impacts and engaging with FSIs, city and county council officers, food supply actors and researchers to establish impacts and provide policy and practical recommendations.