--- title: "CleanNote: a second life for banknotes - AlmaScience" description: "The project, called CleanNote, which aims to reuse wasted banknotes and incorporate them into photocatalysis membranes, will now move to the prototype phase." url: "https://almascience.pt/news/press-release/bank-of-portugal-selects-almascience-project-as-a-finalist-in-lets-give-banknotes-a-second-life-competition" date: "2026-10-16T06:11:49+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # News ![Bank of Portugal selects AlmaScience project as a finalist in "Let’s give banknotes a second life" competition]() ## Bank of Portugal selects AlmaScience project as a finalist in "Let’s give banknotes a second life" competition [Press Release](https://almascience.pt/news/press-release) 05 June 2025 4 minutes read - [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fbank-of-portugal-selects-almascience-project-as-a-finalist-in-lets-give-banknotes-a-second-life-competition "Facebook") - [ ](https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fbank-of-portugal-selects-almascience-project-as-a-finalist-in-lets-give-banknotes-a-second-life-competition&text=Bank+of+Portugal+selects+AlmaScience+project+as+a+finalist+in+%22Let%E2%80%99s+give+banknotes+a+second+life%22+competition "X (formerly Twitter)") - [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Falmascience.pt%2Fnews%2Fpress-release%2Fbank-of-portugal-selects-almascience-project-as-a-finalist-in-lets-give-banknotes-a-second-life-competition&title=Bank+of+Portugal+selects+AlmaScience+project+as+a+finalist+in+%22Let%E2%80%99s+give+banknotes+a+second+life%22+competition "LinkedIn") The challenge **"Let's give banknotes a second life"** was launched by the Bank of Portugal, and **CoLab AlmaScience**, a collaborative and applied research laboratory and technology incubator focused on sustainable materials and green electronics, in collaboration with **CENIMAT/i3N**, a research center and an associated laboratory at NOVA University of Lisbon supported by the Foundation for Science and Technology, decided to participate with the **CleanNote** project, which was recently announced as one of the three finalists, advancing to the **prototype** phase. The CleanNote project **aims to reuse wasted banknotes and incorporate them into membranes for photocatalysis for the treatment of contaminated water or air**. Banknote waste is of particular interest for this application as it contains up to 5% of elements with the potential to be used in the photocatalysis process. Additionally, banknotes are made of high-purity fibers, which possess high mechanical and chemical resistance, allowing these important characteristics to be transferred to the membranes for the intended application. The CleanNote team is composed of researchers with complementary skills and experience and knowledge in the essential aspects of the proposal, including preparation and modification of renewable materials such as cellulosic fibers, substrate production, and photocatalytic devices. According to Diana Gaspar, AlmaScience researcher responsible for the project, "**used banknote waste has both an economic and environmental impact that cannot be overlooked**, since they have a limited lifespan due to wear and tear. Used banknotes are regularly withdrawn from circulation, being shredded, and these residues are subsequently incinerated. This process **results in the total loss of the materials from which they are made** (including some rare elements) and a **notable carbon footprint associated with their production**. The CleanNote project proposes an innovative approach to take advantage of used banknotes, incorporating the fibers that constitute them into cellulose-based membranes for application in photocatalysis." The prototypes will be evaluated by the competition jury – Clara Raposo, Deputy Governor of Banco de Portugal and jury president; Mónica Alexandra Fernandes, Area Coordinator of the Issuance and Treasury Department of Banco de Portugal; Dália Henriques, Integrated Management System Manager at Valora, S.A.; Paulo Ferrão, Full Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico; Giuseppe Mosele, Principal R&D Expert, Banknotes Directorate of the European Central Bank – and submitted to public voting. The winning project, which will receive a prize of five thousand euros, will be announced by the end of the year. ### From banknote waste to a clean water and air solution Annually, millions of euro banknotes are withdrawn from circulation and destroyed (due to wear and tear). This represents over 50,000 tons of waste per year across the Eurozone, depending on the method of destruction and local disposal strategies. Portugal's share is proportional to its population and cash usage, estimated at approximately 500 to 1,000 tons of destroyed banknotes per year. These are typically shredded and compressed into briquettes, which are currently landfilled or incinerated. Modern euro banknotes are made from natural fibers, making them biodegradable and recyclable. However, once used and contaminated, they are treated as non-hazardous industrial waste, not being easily reintegrated into traditional recycling streams without additional processing. Reusing just 10% of this waste could mean recovering over 5,000 tons/year of high-quality fibers across Europe. When combined with photocatalysts in CleanNote-type membranes, this opens a high-value circular economy pathway. These membranes can be used for antibiotic degradation under ultraviolet radiation illumination, validating their potential for applications in contaminated water or air treatment. In this way, CleanNote presents itself as a viable alternative to burning banknote waste. Instead, it repurposes them in high-value applications with positive environmental and social impact. Thus, CleanNote aims to deliver a technically and financially viable solution that integrates sustainability, innovation, and operational efficiency, while ensuring value creation for the Bank of Portugal. CleanNote exemplifies AlmaScience's approach to circular economy and sustainable innovation by transforming what would typically be waste into valuable environmental technology. Additionally, it aligns perfectly with AlmaScience's mission of developing sustainable functional materials with a low environmental footprint, transforming natural and waste materials into practical technological solutions that address environmental challenges while eliminating waste and reducing carbon emissions from traditional disposal methods. ### About AlmaScience AlmaScience is a collaborative innovation R&D lab and a technology incubator for sustainable functional materials and green electronics. AlmaScience provides technological solutions with a low environmental footprint, transforming natural materials such as cellulose and paper into solutions for application in different areas, such as biotechnology, smart packaging, retail, logistics, and green electronics, among others. The research team is multidisciplinary and consists of about 30 researchers with skills in various fields, such as chemistry, materials science, printing technology, electronics, paper technology and biology, business development, and innovation. These capabilities allow AlmaScience to quickly and effectively transform concepts into products and practical technological solutions with high commercial value and low environmental impact. - [ Innovation ](https://almascience.pt/component/tags/tag/innovation) - [ Sustainability ](https://almascience.pt/component/tags/tag/sustainability) ### Continue reading... 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