In a groundbreaking development for the industry, the microLIFEguard project aims to revolutionize microbiological preservation by offering sustainable and safe preservatory solutions for both industrial and consumer goods. Spinverse funding experts supported the project’s coordinator Purgos ApS in the successful funding application.
Replacing hazardous biocides with safer preservative solutions
Biocides have long been used in a multitude of products to prevent microbiological degradation. However, evidence indicates that many biocides pose severe risks to human health and the environment. This has led to a consensus among industry leaders, regulators, and NGOs on the urgent need for less hazardous alternatives. microLIFEguard is a project dedicated to developing new efficient and safe preservative solutions that are also economically feasible. These solutions will cater to water-based paints and construction wood, employing substances with a negligible risk, as outlined under the Biocide Product Regulation (1907/2006).
The paint solutions developed by microLIFEguard are crucial in supporting the transition from volatile organic compounds (VOC) paints, which pose serious health threats, to safer low-VOC, water-based products. Meanwhile, the wood preservatives aim to boost the increasing use of climate-friendly wood in new buildings, contributing to efforts in reducing CO2.
Setting a new standard in microbiological preservation
The microLIFEguard project was started in June 2024 and will last until November 2027. The innovative preservative solutions will be produced at a demonstration scale in collaboration with partners and key stakeholders in Denmark and Finland. The project, with an overall budget of 3,7M€, is coordinated by Purgos ApS from Denmark. Other participants include the Danish Technological Institute and CH-Polymers Oy from Finland. The contribution from the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE) programme is more than 2.25M€.
The project will monitor the health, environmental, and economic impacts of these solutions by comparing them to currently used biocides, all of which are targeted for replacement by the EU. The results and solutions will be widely disseminated to stakeholders across supply chains, representatives of target industries, biocide science forums, and end-users.
To ensure a sustainable impact, microLIFEguard will refine market feasibility studies and prepare business plans for all solutions. The project will also explore potential applications in other sectors, such as food and personal care preservatives. microLIFEguard aims at establishing robust supply chains, from the manufacturing of preservative solutions to intermediary industrial goods and end-user products, following the Safe and Sustainable by Design Framework. Additionally, the project plans to apply for regulatory approvals and Environmental Protection Declarations.
Spinverse team of experts supported the microLIFguard project in the project application process
Spinverse team of funding experts provided the microLIFEguard project with concept development and proposal preparation support. Contributing to this successful outcome from Spinverse were Marianna Mea who was the project manager for the project application, supported by Mikko Tiira (LIFE expert), Katri Joensuu (environmental sustainability expert), and Tapio Lehtinen, (biochemistry expert). CEO Jens Holmegaard from Purgos ApS noted the following: “Spinverse was instrumental in organizing the process of building a complex LIFE application, maintaining a constant focus on ensuring top quality. We can certainly recommend Spinverse to others contemplating an EU R&D application.”
Impact of the project
To conclude, the microLIFEguard project will have several positive impacts to both the environment and human health. It will reduce the amount of toxic compounds leaking to water bodies (both freshwater and marine environments) and lead to the usage of less hazardous compounds for construction workers, thus reducing allergies to commonly used biocides.
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This project supports the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG):
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