20 January 202619 January 2026 NATO promotes defence biotech NATO invests in dual-use biotech as Europe rearms
5 remarkable engineering innovations of 2025 From an autonomous drone system to wood that's stronger than steel and 6 times lighter
Hanbat National University Researchers Reveal Smart Transparent Woods That Block UV and Save Energy The transparent wood is not only promising for indoor illumination and a healthy lifestyle, but also protects privacy at night
The 2025 bioeconomy review The year’s biggest trends in biobased innovation, regulation, & investment
19 January 20262 February 2026 Making Research Visible: The Poster Session at the AI Circular Economy Conference 2026 Call for posters is open until 22 February 2026
Turning garden and crop waste into plastics A new Junior Research Group aims to make bioplastics out of organic waste such as green waste, hay and algae. The Project is receiving 2.7 million euros from the BMFTR funding
Gartenabfall und Ernterückstände in Kunststoff verwandeln Eine neue Nachwuchsgruppe um die Chemikerin Melanie Walther entwickelt Bioplastik aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen wie Grünschnitt, Heu und Algen. Das Ziel: Kunststoffe aus 100 Prozent organischen Abfällen herstellen. Das Projekt „EcoPBS“ erhält dafür eine Förderung des Bundesforschungsministeriums über 2,7 Millionen Euro
LanzaTech Achieves Guaranteed Performance at Japan MSW-to-Ethanol Plant Collaborative pilot at Kuji facility showcases robust ethanol yields using LanzaTech’s fermentation technology
Emissionshandel – Das müssen Unternehmen jetzt wissen Der CO₂-Grenzausgleich stellt die Industrie vor neue Herausforderungen. Welche Auswirkungen hat er und wie können Sie ihm begegnen?
Recycling mixed-fibre garments becomes a reality: RadiciGroup, The LYCRA Company and Triumph take circular fashion a step forward The process, which is both economically and environmentally sustainable, has enabled the production of an underwear set made from 100% recycled nylon and LYCRA® fibre in a closed-loop system
Study finds savings potential across the onboard carbon capture value chain Verified by DNV, the LCA quantifies GHG emissions and savings across the pilot’s entire carbon value chain, tracing CO2 captured and liquefied on an ocean-going container vessel to ship-to-ship and ship-to-truck transfers, overland transport, and its utilisation at an industrial facility
Downcycling: Was bedeutet das? Downcycling meint das Recycling von Materialien mit Qualitätsverlust. Bei Kunststoffen führt jeder Recyclingzyklus meist zu geringerer Materialgüte. Wir klären auf
16 January 202616 January 2026 Developing CO₂-Based PLGA for high performance packaging Avantium has developed an alternative PLGA polymer synthesis technique with reactive solvents that facilitate removal of water and in this way reduce the hydrolysis back reaction that limits the molecular weight
Amcor collaborates with industry leaders for Danish food packaging recycling project Besides Amcor, the project will involve major food manufacturers and waste management specialists
Amcor: Beteiligung am dänischen Projekt „CRISP“ – Recycling von PE- und PP-Lebensmittelverpackungen im Kreislauf etablieren Neben Amcor sind weitere Industriepartner aus der Lebensmittelproduktion sowie Unternehmen der Abfall- und Recyclingwirtschaft beteiligt
CO₂-Derived Plastics Advance Toward Automotive Commercialization A recent report from Japanese news publication, Nikkei, highlights growing momentum in the commercialization of CO₂-derived plastics for automotive applications, including components evaluated by Volkswagen
Rheinmetall cooperates with German technology champions to build production facilities for CO2-neutral synthetic fuel for military use In the future, Rheinmetall intends to enable armed forces to produce their own fuel locally and independently of global fossil fuel supply chains
Rheinmetall kooperiert mit deutschen Technologiechampions für den Bau von Produktionsanlagen von CO2-neutralem synthethischem Kraftstoff für den militärischen Bedarf Rheinmetall will den Streitkräften künftig ermöglichen, ihren benötigten Kraftstoff dezentral und unabhängig von globalen Lieferketten fossiler Energieträger selbst zu produzieren
Innovative Start-Ups Honored at the ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2025 – Power2Polymers from Germany wins top prize After a close jury decision, Power2Polymers from Germany secured the ISC3 Innovation Challenge Award 2025, endowed with €15,000, for more sustainable and high-performance polymer products for specialty applications, enabling product carbon footprint reduction by 40%
Innovative Jungunternehmen bei der ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2025 ausgezeichnet – Power2Polymers aus Deutschland gewinnt Hauptpreis Nach einer engen Juryentscheidung sicherte sich Power2Polymers aus Deutschland den ISC3 Innovation Challenge Award 2025, dotiert mit 15.000 Euro, für nachhaltigere und leistungsstarke Polymerprodukte für Spezialanwendungen, die den Produkt-CO₂-Fußabdruck um bis zu 40 Prozent reduzieren können
15 January 202612 January 2026 EPBP launches industry consultation on Design for Circularity for PET bottles The EPBP starts an industry-wide consultation to collect stakeholder feedback on the recently developed Design for Circularity (DfC) guidelines for PET bottles
PET-Flaschen: Neue Richtlinien für Multi-Loop-Recycling Die EPBP startet die Konsultationsphase für "Design for Circularity"-Richtlinien bei PET-Flaschen. Ziel: Qualitätssicherung über mehrere Recyclingzyklen hinweg
Microorganisms and viruses to accelerate the biodegradation of bioplastics The project not only has a positive environmental impact but also great practical value for businesses and waste management plants
Artificial metabolism turns waste CO2 into useful chemicals Engineered enzymes perform metabolic reactions that do not exist in nature
Kunststoffrecycling: Wie eine Sortieranlage funktioniert Sortieranlagen erklärt: Wie NIR-Sensoren, Ballistik & Magnete Kunststoffe trennen. Überblick der Verfahren für maximale Sortenreinheit und hochwertige Rezyklate
Henkel Joins GIC to Drive Chemical Value Chain Transformation New partnership connects chemical producers with downstream leader to deliver circular, low-emission solutions
Bundesförderung Industrie und Klimaschutz (BIK) – Förderung von CCU und CCS Für Forschungseinrichtungen, Unternehmen, Kommunale Einrichtungen, Hochschulen
14 January 20268 January 2026 ELV trilogue leads to selective circular economy Exclusion of post-industrial recyclates undermines functioning technical plastics cycles and ignores supply gap
ELV-Trilog führt zu selektiver Kreislaufwirtschaft Ausschluss von Post-Industrial-Rezyklaten untergräbt funktionierende technische Kunststoffkreisläufe und ignoriert Versorgungslücke
Toxin-to-treasure: Chonnam National University scientists use engineered enzyme to turn formaldehyde pollutant into high-value chemical The study demonstrates engineered aldolase-catalyzed regioselective conversion of formaldehyde into L-glyceraldehyde
Muoto punnet for fresh fruits, berries and vegetables The new product is part of Metsä Spring's Muoto Uncoated Fibre Series, which includes uncoated fibre packaging
Overshoot: Rückkehr zu 1,5°C erfordert netto-negative Emissionsziele Für klimapolitische Vorreiter wie die Europäische Union (EU) bedeutet dies, dass »Netto-Null« nicht mehr als Endpunkt, sondern nur als Übergangspunkt auf dem Weg zu netto-negativen THG-Emissionen betrachtet werden muss, begleitet von der Entwicklung neuer politischer Instrumente
Overshoot: Returning to 1.5°C Requires Net-negative Emissions Targets For frontrunners such as the European Union (EU), this will require reframing “net-zero” as a transitional stage towards net-negative GHG emissions, and developing policy instruments that are able to deliver this
Turning plastic waste into valuable chemicals with single-atom catalysts Researchers at Nanjing Forestry University and Tsinghua University recently introduced a new approach to convert polystyrene (PS) into toluene
13 January 202612 January 2026 Driving Sustainable Transformation Through Data: How Digital Twins and Data Spaces Reshape the Process Industry Interview with Rosario Othen & Florian Pohlmeyer, RWTH Aachen University (ITA)
PerPlacsBio Launched: Biodegradable Plastics Transform Agriculture and Forestry University of Münster, Rottenburg University of Applied Forest Sciences and the nova-Institute launch PerPlacsBio project – Exploring bio-based and biodegradable plastics for agriculture and forestry
PerPlacsBio gestartet: Biologisch abbaubare Kunststoffe revolutionieren Land- und Forstwirtschaft Universität Münster, Hochschule Rottenburg und das nova-Institut starten PerPlacsBio: Bio-basierte und biologisch abbaubare Kunststoffe für Landwirtschaft und Forstwirtschaft im Fokus
The world of natural biopolymers AIMPLAS has been working for many years on the processing and functionalisation of natural polymers, using a wide range of technologies and different coatings
UPM unlocks new bio-based markets as Leuna biorefinery produces its first commercial product Consumer brands are interested in renewable materials that offer significant CO2saving potential
UPM Biochemicals: Kommerzielle Produktion von Industrie-Zuckern in der Bioraffinerie Leuna gestartet – Einsatzmöglichkeiten in der Kunststoffindustrie Nach Angaben des Unternehmens besteht insbesondere bei Konsumgüterherstellern Interesse an Materialien mit deutlichem CO₂-Einsparpotenzial
Why Thailand became Asia’s rising biobased star We look at why biomanufacturing has flourished in Thailand and the investments that have put the Southeast Asian nation on the map
£6.23 Million in Funding for Celtic Renewables from Scottish Government Celtic Renewables will put the funding towards the planning and construction of a new £120 million industrial-scale biorefinery at Grangemouth
12 January 20269 January 2026 The perfect plastic? Plant-based, fully saltwater degradable, zero microplastics RIKEN-researchers in Japan report a new type of plastic made from plant cellulose, the world’s most abundant organic compound
Monthly News from the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), December 2025 December Highlights: RCI is New Member of the Critical Chemicals Alliance, OK renewable Label, Upcoming Exciting Projects, New Partner Molecule Group (US), Upcoming 10th ECP
LOOM Carbon and RTI International announce strategic collaboration to transform global textile waste Partnership to scale breakthrough process converting unrecycled textiles into various sustainable materials at RTI’s Pilot Xcelerator facility
Aviation Fuel Production from Tomato Residues: TU Graz Coordinates Visionary EU project Residual biomass from tomato production is turned into climate-friendly aviation fuel. The aim of the EU ToFuel project is to develop a waste-free and CO₂-neutral biorefinery concept that produces sustainable and economically competitive aviation fuel
Flugzeugtreibstoff aus Tomatenresten: TU Graz koordiniert visionäres EU-Projekt Restbiomasse aus der Tomatenproduktion wird zu klimafreundlichem Flugkraftstoff: Ziel des EU-Projekts ToFuel ist ein abfallfreies und CO₂-neutrales Bioraffineriekonzept, bei dem nachhaltiger und wirtschaftlich konkurrenzfähiger Flugkraftstoff entsteht
Mycelium-Based Biomaterials Mycelium-based composites (MBCs) have emerged as a novel and disruptive class of biomaterials and mycelium transforms low-value organic byproducts into biodegradable, structurally robust materials with foam-like properties
Circulose and Birla Cellulose Announce Partnership Agreement to Advance Circular Textiles Circulose will supply pulp made with 100% recycled textile waste to Birla Cellulose, and Birla will produce viscose staple fiber made with CIRCULOSE® pulp