The LEGACY project is tackling this issue by rethinking the formulation of epoxy resins. Its goal is as ambitious as it is essential: to develop a full bio-based, BPA-free alternative that performs just as well as traditional materials, but with a fraction of the health and environmental impact.
The BPA Problem: Performance at a Cost
Epoxy resins are praised for their strength, durability, and resistance to chemicals and moisture, qualities that make them ideal for use in floors, coatings, adhesives, and more. But their widespread use has a cost. When BPA-based resins degrade, they release toxic substances into the environment, contaminating soil and water and posing long-term risks to human health. This is a critical challenge for businesses striving to meet growing regulatory and consumer demands for safer, more sustainable materials.
A Circular Alternative: From Waste to High-Value Material
LEGACY offers a promising solution by turning to lignin, a natural component found in wood and a byproduct of paper production. Usually treated as waste, lignin is both renewable and abundant, making it a valuable resource for companies looking to align with circular economy principles.
Through cutting-edge Research & Design (R&D), LEGACY transforms lignin into a powerful building block for new epoxy resins. With the help of VITO’s scientific expertise, lignin undergoes depolymerisation and functionalisation, processes that break it down and reshape it into a usable form. The result? A bio-based epoxy resin with the potential to match the performance of traditional BPA-based products, without the associated toxicity.
Safe, Sustainable, and Ready for Real-World Use
One of LEGACY’s core strengths lies in its comprehensive and responsible approach to innovation. The project doesn't stop at technical development; it also prioritises safety and sustainability every step of the way.
To ensure the new resins are truly safe for both people and the environment, LEGACY conducts in-depth eco-toxicological assessments. These evaluations consider the potential risks across the entire product life cycle, providing businesses with confidence that the materials they use meet the highest standards.
In parallel, the bio-based resins are being tested on various substrates and under real-world conditions, mimicking the diverse environments in which construction materials are used. These trials ensure the product is both practical and effective, making the path to market adoption that much clearer.
An Opportunity for SMEs to Lead in Circular Innovation
For small and medium-sized enterprises, making the shift to safer and more sustainable materials can often feel out of reach. But projects like LEGACY are changing that.
By making scientific innovation more accessible and by developing ready-to-use solutions, LEGACY empowers SMEs to:
- stay ahead of evolving regulations
- reduce their environmental footprint
- reinforce their reputation as forward-thinking businesses
LEGACY demonstrates how R&D is a vital lever for circular transformation. By investing in research, even at modest scales, SMEs can unlock new possibilities, not only in terms of compliance and risk reduction but also in terms of product performance, market differentiation, and long-term resilience.
Stakeholder Engagement: Building with the Industry, Not Just for It
From the start, LEGACY has made a point of involving stakeholders throughout the innovation process. A dedicated survey was launched to understand how familiar businesses, particularly SMEs, are with the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, and to assess their needs, priorities, and readiness to adopt new materials.
Stakeholder meetings have created space for open dialogue, allowing the project to gather insights and feedback on real-world demands. By doing so, LEGACY ensures its solutions are market-relevant and immediately useful, not just academically robust.
This co-creation process also supports another core pillar of circularity: collaboration. When industries, researchers, and SMEs work together, innovation becomes more agile, inclusive, and impactful.
Looking Ahead: From Demonstration to Adoption
By the end of the project, LEGACY aims to have developed and demonstrated a fully BPA-free, bio-based epoxy resin coatings, tested and validated across relevant applications. More than just a proof of concept, it represents a viable, high-performing alternative that businesses can adopt with confidence.
LEGACY’s success will show that sustainable chemistry isn’t just possible, it’s practical, progressive, and within reach for companies of all sizes. this way, the project contributes directly to the broader shift toward a more circular and responsible industrial system.
For any business looking to future-proof its operations and products, LEGACY offers a powerful example of how innovation, safety, and sustainability can, and must, go hand in hand.
The FPS Economy is not responsible for the statements relating to the project results. The implementation of the projects remains the responsibility of the winners.
