“For me and Futerro, innovation in the bioeconomy is all about reinvention and transition. It’s about finding alternative solutions that weave sustainability, circularity, and ecological resilience into the very core of what we do.” To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Frederic Van Gansberghe, CEO of Futerro and the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2024.
According to him, “there is a clear gap between Europe’s ambitions and reality. Many industrial players usually ask to reduce the number of regulations and directives; in my case, I would request to increase their quality”
Mr Van Gansberghe, first of all, congratulations on the recognition as the most innovative bioeconomy CEO 2024. What is innovation in the bioeconomy, from your point of view?
First of all, I want to thank your readers for this recognition. I believe that everyone involved in the bioeconomy has an important role to play, and every step we take toward building a circular and sustainable bioeconomy sector is a significant leap forward. For me and Futerro, innovation in the bioeconomy is all about reinvention and transition. It’s about finding alternative solutions that weave sustainability, circularity, and ecological resilience into the very core of what we do, starting from when Futerro’s journey started back in 1992.
And what is the innovation achieved by Futerro?
We launched our first R&D projects in the 90’s, a time when almost nobody was really involved in the ecological transition. Today, Futerro is the only company mastering the entire PLA life cycle, starting from renewable raw materials, transforming them into lactic acid and lactide (two platform molecules), and ultimately PLA, a biobased, compostable, and recyclable plastic. We were quite visionary. As another example, back in 2009, we decided to develop and test at pilot scale level recycling technologies for PLA (both mechanical and chemical) at a time when PLA was still in its infancy with only one production facility worldwide.
Now, PLA production and recycling technologies are well developed. As a company, we are now focusing on applications. PLA is a marvelous material that can be optimized to reach new markets like automotive, construction, and electronics. For such development, we are convinced that innovation, value proposition and transition will be achieved through collaboration. Joining strengths with other partners and customers whose expertise in their fields enables us, collectively, to go even further and propose tailor-made solutions to replace outdated ones in various aspects of our lives.
Bioplastics seems not to be so popular in the European Union nowadays. What is your opinion on the European legislative framework? What are today the main weaknesses of Europe in comparison with USA and China?
The initial Green Deal goal was to increase sustainability, circularity, and protect our environment, but as far as I remember, it did not consider the European competitiveness strategy. The European Commission took a direction that could be debatable. There is a clear gap between Europe’s ambitions and reality. Many industrial players usually ask to reduce the number of regulations and directives; in my case, I would request to increase their quality! Trying to regulate the ecological transition by closing opportunities, markets, and applications without proposing concrete measures in accordance with the EU’s long-term competitiveness strategy will lead us into a wall.
Let’s take two recent examples, SUPD (Single Use Plastics Directive, editor’s note) and PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, editor’s note). For the first one, which aimed to decrease the usage of single-use plastics, no distinction about the feedstock origin was made. I can tell you, our offices are located 30 minutes by subway from the European Commission, we’ve discussed many times with those involved in the SUPD preparation. To quote them, “bioplastic have the word plastic in it, we don’t want anymore plastics.” Differentiating between the two would have given Europe a huge advantage by creating the first major market for bioplastics. But facing such dogmatism, what do you want to do?
For the PPWR, the journey started a bit better but still work remains to be done. In this regulation, bioplastics (including biobased and/or compostable) are mentioned within two articles (Article 8 for biobased and Article 9 for compostable/biodegradable), but without real binding ambition and only hypothetically propositions. As example, let’s summarize the article 8 : by February 2028, the Commission “shall review” the state of technological development and environmental performance of biobased plastic packaging. Depending on this review, the Commission “shall, where appropriate,” propose another legislative proposal to lay down targets to increase the use of biobased feedstock in plastic packaging.
The whole thing lacks clarity, franck positions and perspective. Why not plan to implement a mandatory percentage of biobased feedstocks with the same recognition than recycled ones ? In another communication for the commission, it recalled the ambitions to switch at least 20% of the whole chemical industry using renewable carbon (including recycled, bio-based and CCU) by 2030. Plastic sector is the first and the most easy sector to defossilize the chemical industry, and even here, the commission missed the boat !
In comparison, other markets like China, the USA, Japan, some African countries, or even some EU member states (Italy, Spain, or the Netherlands) have implemented or shared their ambitions to develop bioplastics in replacement of fossil-based ones. What is Europe waiting for? When you know that roughly 70% of the whole CO2 emission is directly attributable to 100 petrochemical companies, what do we still need to demonstrate?.. Unlike this old and soon, declining industry, all bioeconomy actors have had to demonstrate that their products were better than fossil-based ones for decades (including : circularity, impact on the environment and human health, GHG factors, etc.)! Data is here, final customers are willing to change, markets outside europe are creating opportunities while here, the Commission cannot stand on a clear ambition and support innovative solutions. Choosing not to choose is still a choice in itself, even if it is by February 2028.
Your company is building a new biorefinery in Normandy. What is your plan for 2025?
The year 2025 is a major turning point for Futerro, as we make significant progress with our project to build Europe’s first fully integrated, circular, and sustainable multiproduct biorefinery. This biorefinery will implement all the innovations and optimizations we’ve made over the past years to propose a state-of-the-art facility offering the best quality and new innovations to the EU market.
We recently secured our first financing round, enabling us to launch the final phases before the start of the construction, which is expected by 2026. The start of our new production facility is almost tomorrow. We are now focusing on growing our local business, strengthening partnerships, and encouraging the adoption of bio-based solutions with brand owners and key stakeholders across the entire chemical and plastic value chain.
What does it mean for you to be voted the most innovative CEO?
I am proud to have been awarded by this recognition, which also recognizes the work of the entire Futerro team, working hard and passionately towards a shared vision and for some of them, since more than 30 years !
What are your expectations related to the new European Commission?
Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election for the 2024-2029 term has brought strategic considerations for a stronger Europe with greater economic competitiveness, while remaining committed to the European Green Deal and new climate targets. That’s could be a good opportunity to reoriente the European Commission in the right way…
Actions and initiative are expected and incoming, with some of them directly linked to the bioplastic and bio-based chemical sector (e.g., The Clean Industrial Deal, the European Biotechnology Act, the new Circular Economy Act, etc.). In Europe, a place without fossil ressources, petrochemistry is doomed at mid-long term, just look what is happening in France or Italy. All our way of life is based on these feedstocks. Without a franck and ambitious redirection in the different incoming regulations, this is not only the european industrial sector which will die, but also the Green-Deal ambitions, especially if EU want to compete with countries like USA or China. Our strategic sovereignty is at stake, as the Commission has also pointed out, recognizing biotechnology as one of the EU’s 10 critical sectors to support and develop.
What measures do you consider absolutely urgent for the growth of the bio-based economy in the European Union?
Beyond the bio-based economy, it is essential that the European Union creates opportunities for green chemistry, bioplastics and the chemical industry as a whole. Re-inventing the chemical sector in light of the current economic climate and environmental crisis is crucial if we plan to maintain industrial activity, local employment, and technological development.
Europe is fertile ground for the bioeconomy, with all its innovative companies and research organizations that have even been supported by the European Commission under the BBI-JU and now CBE-JU funds for more than 5,7 billion euros until the demonstration scale. Now, it is time to go further and promote the implementation of flagship technologies and support markets or products that are way better than fossil-based ones. A clear, ambitious, and supportive legislative framework is now mandatory to foster the growth of the bio-based industry and stimulate innovation even more!
In any case, there are still so many opportunities for the years to come, and we must continue to promote the adoption and innovation of biobased solutions to help the bioeconomy flourish, at both the member state and European Commission levels.
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Mario Bonaccorso
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European Commission
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Futerro
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