Renewable Materials for a Low-carbon Circular Economy

As part of the Circular Economy 100 (CE100), an innovation programme of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a new report on Renewable Materials for a Low-carbon and Circular Economy has been published together with the companies and CE100 partners Essity, IKEA, Royal DSM and Tetra Pak. According to the report, renewable materials present significant market opportunities across the economy today and in the future, such as in the packaging, chemical, hygiene products and construction sectors. Further investment in new feedstocks and production methods could support the rapidly growing bio-industry.

New EU waste rules adopted

On 18 April, the European Parliament approved the package to update the EU waste legislation, including a revision of the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. Apart from new ambitious recycling and landfilling targets to boost the re-use of valuable materials in waste, the new legislation also acknowledges that bio-based feedstock for plastic packaging as well as compostable plastics for separate bio-waste collection contribute to more efficient waste management.

Biowaste collection and biodegradable plastics discussed at the Bio-waste Conference in Kassel, Germany

From 2023 onwards, separate collection of bio-waste will be mandatory across Europe in order to increase the overall amounts of separately collected waste and to help meet the ambitious recycling targets set out in the new EU waste rules. To discuss effective solutions and share best practices, experts from policy, research, and waste management met at the 30th edition of the Kasseler Abfall- und Ressourcenforum 2018, the German bio-waste conference, on 10-12 April 2018. 

Register for the 13th European Bioplastics Conference

Registration is now open for the leading bioplastics event in Europe – the 13^th European Bioplastics Conference taking place on 4/5 December 2018 at the Titanic Chaussee Hotel in Berlin, Germany. Register before 30 June 2018 and save up to EUR 300 with the early bird rate!

Bio-based and compostable skin-contact applications

PolyBioSkin, a Research & Innovation Action funded by the BBI, aims to develop bio-based and compostable skin-contact applications in the absorbent hygiene products (AHP), cosmetics, and biomedical sectors. In their first newsletter, the project highlights some of the current developments and introduces the partners involved, including Dr Beatrice Cortelli of the University of Pisa, one of the key scientific leaders of the project. EUBP is part of the project consortium and invites you to have a look at the latest news.

Bioplastics could contribute 34,000 jobs and £1.92 billion to the UK economy

A report from bioeconomy consultants NNFCC has found that a paradigm shift from oil-based plastic to plastics produced from renewable materials and designed to be recyclable or biodegradable, offers the potential to address the issues with plastics while retaining its many benefits. Adrian Higson, Lead Consultant Bio-based Products at NNFCC said in an interview: “Bio-based plastics are far less carbon-intensive than oil-based plastics. Because they are produced from plants that have sequestered atmospheric carbon dioxide during their growth, they can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with oil-based plastics.”

News in brief

• NatureWorks names Richard Altice new President and CEO
• Braskem Green Plastic packs new line of Nutrella loaves
• EIB’s new financing initiative to unlock EUR 1bn of investment in agriculture and bioeconomy
• BBI JU announces a further € 115 million of funding to boost the development of EU’s bio-based industries sector