• Perstorp launches world’s first portfolio of renewable polyols: In response to the fast-growing global need for more sustainable coatings, resins and synthetic lubricants, Perstorp has developed a portfolio of renewable alternatives to the essential polyols Pentaerythritol (Penta), Trimethylolpropane (TMP), and Neopentyl glycol (Neo). Two new polyols – Evyron and Neeture – complete the company’s portfolio of the three essential polyols in renewable options. The new portfolio is based on a mass balance concept. Moreover, the new polyols are all ISCC certified, ensuring, among other things, full traceability of the bio-based raw material back to its country of origin. Currently Perstorp is devoting 80% of its R&D resources to finding new sustainable solutions and in addition, all Perstorp Swedish plants will switch to using only renewable electricity in 2018.

  • BPI partners with DIN CERTCO for third-party compostability certification: BPI operates North America’s leading certification for compostable products, with over 6,500 products currently approved based on ASTM’s scientific standards. BPI now announced that DIN CERTCO has been hired for the administration of technical reviews under the BPI certification program, effective from December 2017. DIN CERTCO has more than two decades of experience administering compostability certification. Certification for compostable products is critical for ensuring that items have been properly tested, meet international standards, and can be identified as such by composters, municipalities, restaurants, consumers, and others engaged in the diversion of organic waste. States like California and Maryland have laws requiring any product marketed as compostable to meet these standards.

  • European Bioeconomy Manifesto: On the Bioeconomy Policy day last week, a day dedicated to move the bioeconomy forward, the EU Bioeconomy Stakeholders Panel launched the European Bioeconomy Manifesto to set out how the continent plans to grow this multi-trillion euro industry. EuropaBio, the European Association for Bioindustries, called for an am