Background Waste water treatment focuses on the quality of the effluent as well as on the efficiency of the treatment process. The negative impacts of waste water treatment (energy use, CO2 and sludge production) are accepted as inevitable. Nevertheless, waste water treatment plants (WWTP) have considerable ecological footprints. In the Netherlands, for example, waste water treatment counts for 66.5% of the climate footprint of the country. Moving from mineral oil based plastic to bio-based plastic would be beneficial. In 2012, worldwide 180 000 tonnes of PLA (polylactic acid, bioplastic) were produced from renewable resources such as grain, maize or cane sugar. It is expected that the yearly production will grow up to 1 million tonnes of PLA by the year 2020. In order to avoid a ‘food for fuel’ discussion, cellulose is currently being investigated as a new resource for the production of lactic acid, the raw material for PLA. Toilet paper mainly consists of cellulose and pilot tests proved that this cellulose can efficiently be removed from waste water by using fine screens. This screened product has all the characteristics required for upgrading it to lactic acid. Objectives The CELLU2PLA LIFE project aims to demonstrate an innovative technology that utilises the cellulose contained in municipal waste water in the production of PLA. This sustainable and economically viable technology will thus contribute to the creation of a bio-based economy. The project will also contribute to the development of EU policy on municipal waste water treatment through its results. Specifically, the project will create ad demonstrate: A full-scale demonstration of the recovery of cellulose from the effluent of waste water at a municipal WWTP; An innovative treatment process that produces bio plastics from the cellulose recovered from municipal waste water; A life-cycle assessment of both the plants for the recovery of cellulose and the production of bioplastics. Expected results: The CELLU2PLA LIFE project expects to achieve the following results from the cellulose recovery process from waste water and the use of the cellulose sludge in the production of bioplastics: 70% recovery of the suspended solids of the effluent; 65% use of the cellulose sludge in the production of PLA; PLA production at demonstration of site of 350 tonnes a year; Transformation of the remaining fraction of the cellulose sludge to bio-energy. A high increase in efficiency of the current waste water treatment process is expected to result in: 20% reduction in energy use; 22 % reduction in sludge production; 28% increase in bio-energy production; 20% increase in phosphate recovery from biomass (from activated sludge); and 10% overall reduction of the carbon footprint;The project is expected to show an attractive cost-benefit ratio with a return on investment of seven years (based on the present state of innovation). Once this replication has been successful demonstrated, the sector is expected to have the potential for producing 111 000 tons bio plastic a year.