Dear members,

Please find below an overview of activities carried out by European Bioplastics throughout February 2021.

Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA)

The European Bioplastics’ Working Group Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA) last met 24 February.

The WG members discussed the draft policy paper on the framework for bioplastics and agreed to propose further amendments to potentially broaden the scope of suitable applications for compostable plastics. In this regard, the European Parliament’s Report on the Circular Economy had been published on 10 February containing several positive references to the role of bio-based and biodegradable/compostable plastics. EUBP agreed to assist in the preparation of an EUBA webinar hosted by MEP Franc Bogovic which would be held on 17 March. At the same event, the Alliance’s position paper on the circular economy would be launched.

An EUBP webinar was also organised on 3 March to discuss the role of compostable plastics within a circular economy. It would be hosted by MEP Spyraki with speakers including François de Bie, Joan Marc Simon from Zero Waste Europe, and others. A response to the letter sent by European Bioeconomy Alliance on taxonomy had been received from Commissioner McGuinness but this shed no light on whether the criticized exclusion of biomaterials derived from food or feed had been taken into reconsideration. The group agreed that it would be important to continue work with allies on this topic.

In reaction to the call between EUBP and ECHA together with Sulapac (27 January) where the issue of “natural substances” had been intensively discussed, EUBP was asked to prepare a paper comparing additives in bioplastics with conventional plastics.

EUBP continues to pursue a meeting with Director Sadauskas from DG Environment.

For detailed information on the work of the WG Regulatory Affairs, please contact Joanna Dupont-Inglis (inglis@european-bioplastics.org).

BON Europe

BON Europe (Bioplastics Organisations Network) is an alliance of European Bioplastics and European national bioplastics organisations. The group held a web meeting on 25 February 2021. At the meeting, the BON members reported on relevant updates from their respective EU Member States. Since the last meeting in January, several web meetings with individual BON members have taken place. The aim is to complete and update the overview table on the national implementation of the SUP Directive. The network also discussed the EUBP document on the EU policy framework for bioplastics. After its completion, BON members will have the possibility to co-sign the letter.

For more information regarding BON Europe, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org).

Product Groups

Product Group Bio-based

No activities in February. The on-going tasks for the TFs are: update PP sustainability assessment (TF1), fact sheets chemical recycling and energy recover (TF2), factsheet on sugar as feedstock (TF3).

For more information regarding bio-based plastics including sustainability issues and the work of the PG and TFs, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Product Group Biodegradables

In February, further assessments of the SAPEA report (publication December 2020) were collected in order to prepare a potential more detailed statement. The paper on biodegradable microplastics, which was agreed upon in the last PG meeting, is currently being drafted.

For more information regarding PG Biodegradables and the TF Marine, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Working Group Standardisation

The new draft version of the EN 13432 has been circulated in the WG and will be discussed in the next meeting, which will take place on 17 March. EUBP submitted comments on a DIN SPEC business plan for biodegradability testing of textiles to the German Standardisation body DIN. This item will also be shortly discussed in the next meeting.

CEN/TC 261 SC 4 WG 2 has started an internal revision process for EN13432. Comments can be submitted until 31 May 2021 and will be discussed in June. The CEN WG had one meeting on 12 February and will have three more in March to discuss comments on prEN 17427 and prEN 17428.

For more information on standards for bioplastics, current standardisation processes, and certification of bioplastics, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Communications

Please find under the following link a selection of relevant media clippings from February 2021 (online).

On 3 February, the kick-off meeting of TF “EUBP Web Presence” took place. It aims at assessing EUBP’s online activities, especially focussing on its website and social media activities on Twitter and LinkedIn. The TF asked Comms to develop a questionnaire to assess and, in a second step, to improve the association’s website. EUBP Comms was also asked to develop an editorial plan for its social media activity and to share it with the group.

On 12 February, EUBP Comms and EU-Projects met to discuss greater synergy effects in their comms work. It was agreed to make greater use of EUBP’s social media channels as well as the newsletter to promote EUBP’s project work.  

On 17 February 2021, EUBP spoke at the third virtual event of the “European Bioplastics Research Network” organized by the BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE project. Comms gave an overview on the bio-based polymers market and existing challenges and opportunities.

Comms also supported the organization of the EUBP webinar on the role of compostable plastics within a circular economy to take place on 3 March. This included the promotion of the event on EUBP’s online channels, especially social media.

Additionally, EUBP Comms coordinated the responses to several requests by journalists, e.g. The Wallstreet Journal (especially market information on biodegradable plastics) and companies regarding detailed information on different aspects of bioplastics. This included the communication with Euronews which requested an interview on 16 February with the EUBP management as well as several speaking offers for the EUBP management.

For more information or questions concerning the communications activities of EUBP, please contact Oliver Buchholz (buchholz@european-bioplastics.org).

Seedling Logo

The next Jour Fixe meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Seedling Logo will take place on 5 March 2021.

For more information on the Seedling Logo or the Certification Scheme, please contact Constance Ißbrücker (issbruecker@european-bioplastics.org).

Projects

BIOnTop (Project month: 21 of 48)

https://biontop.eu/ (BBI-JU)

The consortium had been compiling its M18 reporting and giving a status overview on all project processes. Everything was internally and externally assessed during a review meeting on 23 February 2021. Overall, BIOnTop develops in accordance with the initial planning, although material selection and further trials have experienced some technical deviations from the project proposal. As all questions of project officer and reviewers were answered, the consortium is now awaiting the written feedback by mid of March. To further improve the expertise on project communication, EUBP attended an online webinar on communication for EU projects on 18 and 19 February (organized by Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg).

BIOMAC (Project month: 2 of 48)

Grant agreement 952941 (Horizon 2020)

After its kick-off meeting on 16 February 2021, BIOMAC work package leaders and project role leaders met for their first scientific and technical meeting. They discussed and established work routines for each working group, including all 5 technical value chain and their pilot lines (work packages will separately schedule meetings every 3 months). According to its 6 months cycle, the next Scientific & Technical Steering Committee meeting will be held in August.

PRESERVE (Project month: 2 of 48)

Grant agreement 952983 (Horizon 2020)

EUBP initiated its work in WP8 on 2 February by meeting with KNEIA who lead the work package on dissemination, communication & exploitation. A working routine and crosslinked tasks had been discussed in advance to a joint meeting with the task leaders of WP7 and WP8 on 25 February. WP8 will focus on the next steps of a study on consumer perception, social media activities, and drafting a communication & dissemination plan. WP2 (led by EUBP) took up its work on PRESERVE’s technical material specifications with meetings on 5 and 12 February. They were followed by a first WP3 launch meeting on 19 February.

Main activity of the PRESERVE partners in February was providing a state-of-the-art report (D2.1). Once accepted by the project management, it will be made available on the PRESERVE website and a corresponding publication will also be discussed.

Status of project partnering, other HORIZON 2020 projects, and proposal/grant agreements:

BIOSUPPACK is still in grant preparation phase and will foreseeably start activities by June 2021. (Consortium lead: AIMPLAS; requested grant: 8.8 million Euro; topic: PHA-based rigid packaging upscaling and enzymatic recycling as well as plasma integration in the value chain.)

On 24 February 2021, EUBP officially joined the national ZIM network “Gebäude O.K.” (German: Buildings without plastics). Besides supporting partners to construct more sustainable buildings, the network’s intention is to identify potentials of bio-based polymers and substitute fossil counterparts in the construction area. This network is part of a central innovation programme for SMEs (ZIM; Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy designed to support the innovative strength and competitiveness of SMEs.

For more information or requests concerning EUBP’s project involvements, please contact Christian Schulz (schulz@european-bioplastics.org).

Planned activities

WG Regulatory Affairs:

• Organic recycling within the circular economy: The role of compostable plastics (EUBP webinar, hosted by MEP Maria Spyraki), 3 March 2021
• REGA WG Meeting, 24 March 2021
• Further work on developing the position for the Policy Framework Communication on Bioplastics
• Preparation for EUBA webinar on Circular Economy
• Meeting with DG ENV (Director Sadauskas)
• Follow up on taxonomy
• Further outreach in the form of meeting requests to Commission and EP on core topics for EUBP
• Preparation for the publication of the JRC study on alternative feedstocks

Communications:

• Organization EUBP webinar on 3 March (also see above)
• Development of an editorial plan for social media
• Development questionnaire EUBP website
• Preparation of 4-pager on EUBP market data 2020
• Preparation of EUBP’s annual report 2020
• Update of EUBP publications with new market data 2020

BON Europe:

• Next web meeting of BON Europe on 25 March 2021
• Further complete and update overview on Member States’ implementation of SUP Directive
• Monitor national developments regarding the EU “plastic tax”

PG Bio-based:

• Fact Sheet on bio-based content/mass balance
• TF 1: Update position paper on sustainability assessment
• TF 2: finalization fact sheet on chemical recycling, revision fact sheet on energy recovery
• TF 3: finalization paper on sugar as feedstock for bio-based plastics
• Next meeting still to be scheduled

PG Biodegradables:

• Position paper on microplastics
• Info collection on biodegradable/compostable plastics in AD
• Next meeting to be scheduled

WG Standardisation:

• Further work on draft EN13432
• Next meeting on 17 March 2021

Seedling Logo:

• Next meeting of the ACS on 5 March 2021

Projects and Networks:

• UKRI Interdisciplinary Centre for Circular Chemical Economy Industry engagement event on 16 March 2021
• PRESERVE meeting of dissemination & communication work group, 25 March 2021

If you have any suggestions regarding the content and/or format of our monthly report, please do not hesitate to share them with us.  

This email is sent to all the contacts of our member companies that we have registered in our database. If you would like to share it with further colleagues, kindly send us an email to members@european-bioplastics.org. 

Kind regards,
Hasso v. Pogrell