Open the document The recent EU Bioeconomy Strategy Progress Report (2022)* provides the most relevant and publicly available data on the EU’s biobased chemicals, pharma, plastics, and rubber sector. According to the report, the role of bioeconomy sectors in generating economic wealth has improved in the past decade in the EU-27. One of [...]
Open the document Growth resumption: global production capacities of bioplastics 2023-2028 Bioplastics currently represent roughly 0.5 percent of the over 400 million tonnes of plastic produced annually*. After a period of stagnation over the past few years, the overall global plastic production is picking up again in 2023. This development is driven by [...]
Open the document What are certified soil-biodegradable mulch films? What are the advantages of certified soil-biodegradable mulch films? Do certified soil-biodegradable mulch films fully biodegrade in soil? Why are mulch films covered in the Fertilising Products Regulation (FPR)? What is the definition of a fertiliser under the FPR? What are the specific benefits [...]
A new publication by the Renewable Carbon Initiative challenges the commonly held belief that using food and feed crops for bio-based materials is detrimental to food security. Against the backdrop of a global hunger crisis, the paper argues that the biomass debate is flawed, subjective, and lacks sufficient evidence. It suggests that other factors [...]
Traditional polymer manufacturing processes heavily rely on fossil fuels as feedstock, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of finite resources. The utilisation of biomass in the plastics sector has evolved to offer sustainable alternatives to conventional fossil-based materials. By leveraging biogenic feedstock, the industry can reduce its environmental impact and promote circularity. [...]
Open the document To increase the amount of plastics based on renewable resources on the market and decrease dependence on depletable feedstocks, such as crude oil, the mass balance approach is a complementary step that can be necessary for a fossil-free future. In line with ISO 22095, the mass balance approach is a [...]
Open the document The bioeconomy holds the potential to provide innovative biobased materials and packaging solutions to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the EU packaging sector while decoupling economic growth from the use of fossil-based resources. Despite the ambitious climate neutrality target declared in the Green Deal, the Commission’s proposal for a [...]
Open the document The final methodology for life cycle assessment (LCA) of alternative feedstock for plastics production clearly and structurally favours fossil-based over biobased plastics, and so undermines many of the deliverables set out by the European Green Deal. This is wildly at odds with the EU’s commitment towards reducing dependency on fossil-carbon [...]
Open the document Learn about bioplastics and find the answers to frequently asked questions on: European Bioplastics End-of-life Feedstock General questions Human health Market Material, properties and technology Political framework Standardisation, certification, labelling Sustainability
“Plastics play an essential role in modern society. However, their value chain is currently unsustainable, contributing to the generation of climate changing emissions and increasing waste and pollution. Reducing such impacts while retaining plastics’ usefulness requires a shift towards a more circular and sustainable plastics system”, states the European Environment Agency (EEA) in a [...]
