Bioplastics in Eyewear: Eco Research joins the final event of the Occhio al BIO! Project

On March 26, 2025, The Eyewear Museum in Pieve di Cadore hosted the closing event of the Occhio al BIO! project, promoted by Certottica Group in collaboration with the University of Trento and co-financed by the Cariverona Foundation. The project aimed to clarify the use of bioplastics in eyewear production, monitor development prospects in the sector, and provide companies with concrete tools to address the challenges related to innovation, sustainability, and waste management. It also examined the life cycle of eyewear and its treatment as waste. Since no specific disposal pathway exists for these products, the project explored potential solutions aligned with the principles of the circular economy.

Leading experts contributed with both scientific and practical insights. Eco Research participated with a presentation by Dr. Werner Tirler on the potential of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in the circular economy. Other contributions addressed:

• strategies for the recovery and management of bioplastic waste (Luca Fiori and Lukasz Niedzwiecki, University of Trento),
• new applications of 3D printing for waste valorization, with reference to the Interreg Italy–Austria BeSoGreat project (Manuela Facchin, Crossing srl),
• the social implications of sustainability through the LIFE RESTART project (Marco Giunta, EcosMed).

The initiative confirmed that synergy between innovation, research, and industry is fundamental even in a niche sector like eyewear, opening new pathways toward more responsible and environmentally conscious choices for the future.