RELEASAFE: Bio-based and biodegradable controlled-release fertilisers for safe and sustainable agriculture
Programme: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-02
Duration: 42 months, September 2026 – February 2030
Partners: Aitiip, Rodenburg, Landlab, Evoenzyme, Holoss, Leitat, Van Iperen, Cener, Australo, Tecnopackaging
Objective: The RELEASAFE project aims to develop and validate next-generation, fully bio-based and biodegradable controlled-release fertiliser (CRF) systems. To this aim the project is based on a threefold approach:
• Sourcing and processing underutilised regional biomass side-streams—including kraft black liquor, reclaimed potato starch, and pruning waste—into advanced, sustainable, and eco-designed biopolymer matrices and structural carriers.
• Optimising material formulations through custom crosslinking strategies and the integration of tailored, latent hydrolytic enzymes that act as biologically responsive triggers to precisely modulate nutrient release profiles.
• Scaling up the selected compliant formulations to pilot level and conducting comprehensive agronomic and environmental validations—including soil health, metagenomic microbiome, and ecotoxicity assessments—in both greenhouse and open-field trials for maize and tomato crops.
The consortium, coordinated by Aitiip, forms a strong pool of experts along with the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, and advanced materials with a track record managing multi-actor bioeconomy programs. It includes technology providers, biodegradability and agronomic validation experts, environmental and sustainability specialists, an established fertiliser developer and brand owner (Van Iperen).
Tecnopackaging leads the development of production processes and formulation methodologies for controlled-release fertilisers (CRFs), blending the main matrices with key additives and scaling up the manufacture of the prototypes.
This project is supported by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking and its members, and co-funded by the European Union under the GA nº101291202. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE JU. Neither the European Union nor the CBE JU can be held responsible for them.
Agreement N. 101291202 – RELEASAFE – HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025-RIA-02
