In order to meet the European Union’s climate and energy targets for 2030 and reach the objectives of the European Green Deal, the European Commission aims at directing investments towards sustainable projects and activities. This requires a common language and a clear definition of what “sustainable” means. Therefore, the Commission’s Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth called [...]
Sea-farmed supercrop: how seaweed could transform the way we live From high-protein food to plastics and fuel, Swedish scientists are attempting to tap the marine plant’s huge potential. As we shift to a bio-based rather than fossil-fuel-based economy, seaweed could provide a lot of the compounds we need. For example, Ulrica Edlund, Steinhagen’s collaborator [...]
Forthcoming EU policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics With the public consultation phase now closed, the forthcoming EU policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics is nearing completion and is expected to be adopted in the second quarter of 2022. It is a crucial piece of legislation for the bioplastics industry, and [...]
Bio-Fed signs distribution agreement with KBK in Japan Cologne-based materials producer Bio-Fed and Tokyo-headquartered Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha, Ltd. (KBK), have signed an agreement naming KBK as Bio-Fed’s distribution partner for the Japanese market. Bio-Fed, a branch of Akro-Plastic GmbH and a member of the Feddersen Group, produces and distributes biodegradable and/or bio-based plastic compounds [...]
In order to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Green Deal, respectively the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission already initiated a significant number of regulatory processes. To improve Europe’s waste management in line with the waste hierarchy and the implementation of the polluter principle, the Commission had initiated a Call for [...]
Swell idea: Bioplastic surf boards gain traction In France, a company is using 3D printing and bio-based materials to bring the surf community a more sustainable experience. Wyve, based in the Basque beach area, is replacing the polystyrene and EPS foam “blanks” that make traditional surfboards buoyant with inner hexagons that trap air. The [...]
Study Shows Consumers Favor Sustainability in Products & Packaging The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) recently released its annual consumer research study showing growing consumer demand for products made from renewable and sustainable materials. In general, the study found 61% of consumers are more interested in companies who produce or use plant-based products. At [...]
Constance Ißbrücker, Head of Environmental Affairs at European Bioplastics e.V. The EU Plastics Strategy presented a vision where innovative materials and alternative feedstocks would ultimately replace fossil resources. In this context, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) was tasked in 2018 by the European Commission to elaborate an appropriate life cycle assessment (LCA)-based method to evaluate the potential environmental [...]
EUBPConf2021: multi stakeholder panel discussion on bioplastics and EU policy After last year’s 100 percent virtual format, the European Bioplastics Conference was finally able to re-open its gates in Berlin and welcomed around 140 participants. The other half of the overall 320 participants attended online. During the different conference sessions and in [...]
Oona Korhonen, Project Manager at Measurlabs, specialized in biomass Read below a guest article by Oona Korhonen from Measurlabs. How well do you know the amount of bio-based content in the raw materials you use? Have you measured it yourself? There are two big reasons to do so. Firstly, as fossil-based materials [...]
