Dear members,

Please find below an overview of the activities of European Bioplastics throughout January 2020.

Regulatory Affairs (WG REGA)

European Bioplastics’s Working Group Regulatory Affairs met on 16 January in Brussels, for a strategic kick-off in order to prepare for 2020. We revisited the achievements of 2019 and underlined especially the high quality of prepared content and the constructive and active collaboration of all participants of the working group. In general, however, EUBP faced a very tough year that was dominated by the hurried legislative process of the Single-use Plastics Directive. It led to new levels of reaction speed and to detailed demand for content, banned other topics to the background and uged EUBP to focus its lobby efforts very much on DG Environment.

Following the revision of our work in 2019, the WG discussed how to set up EUBP public affairs in 2020. The members agreed on a more proactive approach also putting a stronger focus on our positive topics as well as strengthen our liaisons with other associations (e.g. European Bioeconomy Alliance) and national networks (e.g. Bioplastics Organisations Network). Furthermore, the ‘new pace’ in stakeholder consultations in Brussels is expected to continue and even increase. This is not only a challenge for EUBP we need to adapt to but also a challenge for e.g. EP committees and EC units in the different Directorate Generals what provides additional opportunities for us. Furthermore, we should amend our approach from ‘on this dossier we want’ to ‘how can we provide something you need’ when discussing with relevant DGs (DG Environment, DG Grow, DG Agri, DG Research). From this year on, also DG Clima will become an important actor. As policy officers in the DGs are under increasing pressure, only constructive input will be taken into account. In 2020, we will continue to broaden our contact scope to all relevant DGs.

Last but not least the group agreed to formulate a Vision 2050 taking up the opportunities that the new umbrella dossier ‘Green Deal’ (Link communication / Link Annex) with its key policies on climate, circular economy and pollution will launch. The Green Deal and its key initiatives such as the Climate Law, new Circular Economy Action Plan and EU Industrial Strategy (all due in March 2020) will influence the dossiers and initiatives whose implementation already started last year and will continue in 2020. Being of decisive importance, these new key processes will be added to our priority tasks.

We will keep you updated on all relevant developments.

In the following a short update on the initiatives that we followed last year and that are coming to an end or will continue through 2020:

• The EC study on ‘Relevance of biodegradable plastics in a circular economy’ will be finalised in February and potentially published end of February or March.
• Essential requirements – currently finalised, final version in February, Implementing Act to follow in February as well, proposal potentially in mid-2021
• Guidance on EPR fees – a draft has been obtained by EUBP (shortly after last REGA meeting); we will analyse the draft and take necessary steps as far as feasible; the initiative is supposed to conclude mid-2020
• ECHA report on intentionally added microplastics, opinions will follow in March with a subsequent consultation, opinion of EC potentially delayed until autumn.
• SUP guidance initiative – after the expert workshop in December 2019 on the topic of the ‘plastics definition / exemption of natural polymers that are chemically unmodified’, the action range of EUBP is very limited; the EC is consulting ECHA in-house and the last action that can be taken is to get legal guidance on the wording ‘natural polymer’ and ‘chemically unmodified’ in cooperation with EDANA. These topics will be shared with DG ENVI, ECHA and the consultancy consortium. EUBP is liaising with EDANA actively on this point.

For detailed information on the work of the WG Regulatory Affairs, please contact Kristy-Barbara Lange (lange@european-bioplastics.org). The next meeting will take place on 18 February 2020 in Brussels.

Product Groups

Product Group Bio-based

A draft paper on chemical recycling is currently being reviewed by members of Task Force 2 (End-of-Life) and will be finalized in February.

On 29 January 2020, Task Force 3 (Feedstock) held a web meeting to discuss future work items. The group started drafting profiles for different feedstock types used for bio-based plastics. Furthermore, a collection of (scientific) literature on land-use/competition with food, feed and the biotech sector of bioplastic feedstock will be compiled. The group also collected ideas for a short policy paper on reuse and recycling of bio-based products which will be discussed with TF 2 (End-of-Life).

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

Product Group Biodegradables

No relevant activities took place in January.

For more information regarding PG Biodegradables, the TF Marine, and Seedling certification, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org).

Working Group Standardisation

The WG Standardisation held a web meeting on 7 January to discuss the ECHA restriction proposal on intentionally added microplastics which currently exempts biodegradable microplastics from this restriction. The Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) is currently working on its opinion on this proposal. Being accredited as occasional stakeholder at RAC, EUBP will apply to take part in the next RAC-meeting in March where its opinion on the ECHA report will be finalized.

For more information on standards for bioplastics, current standardisation processes, and certification of bioplastics, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org).

Communications

Please find at the following link a selection of relevant media clippings from January 2020 (pdf).

On 16 January, EUBP Coms attended the first REGA meeting held in Brussels. The intention of the joint meeting was to closer link EUBP communications and regulatory affairs.

During the first half of January, EUBP Coms prepared several responses to enquiries made by representatives of the scientific sector. The scope of topics was very broad, ranging from questions on the new market data 2019 via latest political processes to consumer behaviour in connection with the use of bioplastics.

Furthermore, we are currently updating on the following EUBP documents with the new market data:

• Fact sheet feedstock
• Fact sheet automotive
• Position paper bioplastics and circular economy
• Position paper feedstock
• Bioplastics facts and figures
• FAQ bioplastics.

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

Seedling Logo

The revised version of the Seedling Certification Scheme for products made from compostable materials which was prepared by the Advisory Committee of the Seedling Mark (ACS) came into effect on 1 January 2020. Existing certificates remain valid until recertification or for a maximum of 3 years. The related Newsflash attracted interested candidates to join the ACS in the future.

For more information on the Seedling Logo or the Certification Scheme, please contact Katharina Hinse (hinse@european-bioplastics.org).

Events

Please save the date for the 15^th European Bioplastics Conference that will take place at the Hotel Savoyen Vienna, in Austria on the 1/2 December 2020.

The event will again put bioplastics in the spotlight for over 400 senior executives from across the bioplastics value chain.

We are currently planning our appearance at the exhibition Interpack 2020 starting 7 May until 13 May 2020 in Düsseldorf. Please meet us at our Booth 9E04.

For more information regarding the EUBP Conference 2019 as well as for the Conference 2020, please contact Hannah Heimann (conference@european-bioplastics.org).

Projects

PolyBioSkin Meeting (12 - 14 November) in Lyon

https://www.polybioskin.eu/ (BBI-JU)

Half a year before the finalization of the project, the PolyBioSkin consortium met in Lyon in order to update each other on the progress of developing the different prototypes (wound dressing, beauty mask and diaper) and to discuss the remaining tasks to be fulfilled by the members.

Plastic Leak Project Meeting (26 November) in Lausanne

The final in-person meeting of the consortium partners was organized as a workshop aiming at identifying the steps to be taken to implement and to widen the scope of the findings of the project.

BIOnTop 6M Meeting (14 - 15 January) in Ghent

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

Six months after project kick-off, the consortium met in Belgium to discuss technical work packages alignment to develop novel packaging films and textiles with tailored end of life and performance based on bio-based copolymers and coatings, such as recyclable monomaterial trays, films and nets for food packaging.

Partnering in HORIZON 2020 proposals

EUBP became a partner in several Horizon 2020 project proposals on the following topics. It will be clear in spring 2020 whether the proposals will be accepted for the next stage:

• “Upcycling Bio Plastics of food and drinks packaging”. (CE-BIOTEC-09-2020)
• “Open Innovation Test Beds for nano-enabled bio-based materials” (NMBP-04-2020)

Planned activities

WG Regulatory Affairs:

• Final input to Eunomia study on ‘Relevance of biodegradable plastics in a Circular Economy’, preparation of workshop on 22 October
• Preparation of position with TF SUPSPEC as input for workshop on SUP Directive on 18 October
• Liaison with ACE and Europen in preparation for workshop on Essential Requirements on 15 October
• Revise discussion paper on feedstock for bioplastics;
• Start planning next EP event on standards and labelling for end of November 2019

Communications:

• Compilation of long-version (4-pager) of new market data 2019
• Update of EUBP documents (fact sheets, position papers etc.) with market data 2019
• Preparation of presentation at 7th International Seminar on Biopolymers and Sustainable Composites (4/5 March)

PG Bio-based:

• TF 2: Finalization of Fact Sheet on Mechanical Recycling and Fact Sheet on Chemical Recycling
• TF 3: drafting of feedstock type profiles, compiling literature on land-use for bio-based feedstock

PG Biodegradables:

• Prepare extended paper on positive examples of biodegradable products
• Set a date for a web meeting in February/March 2020

Seedling Logo:

• Web Meeting of the Advisory Committee for the Seedling Mark on 7 January 2020

WG Standardisation:

• Preparation for RAC meeting in March

Projects:

• Participation in the “BioSinn” project workshop on 10 February 2020 in Cologne

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