10 July 20263 July 2026 Cefic calls for EU-wide harmonised End-of-Waste criteria for chemical recycling In the absence of harmonised EU-wide criteria for chemical recycling, Member States continue to apply different interpretations of when waste ceases to be waste
9 July 20262 July 2026 Commission clarifies rules on plastic bottles recycling The new rules include chemical and mechanical recycling technologies to help Member States meet the recycled-content target set under the Single-Use Plastics Directive
8 July 20261 July 2026 Referentenentwurf eines Gesetzes zur Änderung des Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetzes Mit dem Gesetzentwurf sollen weitere Maßnahmen zur Fortentwicklung des Kreislaufwirtschaftsrechts, insbesondere zur Stärkung der Abfallvermeidung und Verbesserung der getrennten Sammlung ergriffen werden
7 July 202630 June 2026 New European Bauhaus, Biomaterials and Lightweight Structures: An Industrial Agenda for Decarbonising Construction This article explores the role that biomaterials and lightweight composites can play in the transition of rethinking materials, standards, testing methodologies and product models
30 June 202626 June 2026 Covestro Takes Bio-Based Aniline Production Process to Next Level as EU-funded Project Kicks Off Covestro has launched Bio4PURConti (Bio-Based Continuous Production for Sustainable Polyurethane Industry), acting as project coordinator of the pioneering EU-funded initiative
Covestro treibt Produktionsprozess für bio-basiertes Anilin voran – Startschuss für EU-gefördertes Projekt Covestro hat Bio4PURConti (Bio-Based Continuous Production for Sustainable Polyurethane Industry) gestartet und übernimmt die Rolle des Projektkoordinators der wegweisenden EU-geförderten Initiative
BlueAlp and LBC Tank Terminals secure EU Just Transition Fund €1.5 million grant supports FEED phase of advancing industrial-scale chemical recycling and value chain integration
Bundestag beschließt neue Verpackungsregeln: Startpunkt für chemisches Recycling und Ökomodulierung, doch Industrie braucht stärkere Investitionssignale Plastics Europe Deutschland bewertet insbesondere die Einführung einer Verordnungsermächtigung zur Ökomodulierung im neuen §26a positiv, allerdings sieht der Rechtstext keine verbindliche Steigerung der technologieoffenen Quote in §42 vor
29 June 202626 June 2026 Turning industrial waste into green value: GlyCO2Chem project brings circular carbon chemistry to life The initiative aims to transform industrial by-products into high-value sustainable chemicals whilst reducing carbon emissions and creating new value chains for the green economy
Diving deeper into the EU’s latest guidance on the PPWR On 5 June, the European Commission published a Commission Notice providing further clarity about the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) in practice
Zirkulär oder abgehängt? Der Circular Economy Act kommt Nachhaltigkeit war gestern, Zirkularität ist morgen: Wie der anstehende EU Circular Economy Act Märkte, Lieferketten und Geschäftsmodelle beeinflusst
25 June 202623 June 2026 Commission steps up action on Europe’s bioeconomy The new initiatives are part of a push to boost the bioeconomy industry
23 June 202619 June 2026 Interzero opens new site in Dessau and plans production of food-grade PP regranulate Food-safe recyclates from household lightweight packaging collections – Interzero breaks new ground
Interzero eröffnet neuen Standort in Dessau und plant die Produktion von food-grade PP-Regranulat Lebensmitteltaugliche Rezyklate aus dem Gelben Sack – Interzero leistet Pionierarbeit
22 June 202619 June 2026 Circular Hemp Solutions Reinvent Europe’s Construction Industry EU-funded project, MarginUp!, Showcases Hemp as a Sustainable Construction Material for Europe during a Stakeholder’s Visit in Spain
19 June 202616 June 2026 D-CRBN Closes €17.5 Million Series A D-CRBN, a deep-tech company developing electrified plasma technology to recycle CO₂ and hydrocarbons into circular carbon molecules, today announced the successful closing of its €17.5 million Series A investment round
16 June 202610 June 2026 24 new projects to strengthen the scaleup of Europe’s bioeconomy Together, these projects will play a critical role in advancing the goals of the CBE JU Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda and shaping a competitive, resilient and sustainable bioeconomy in Europe
European Bioplastics: New Board to drive its next Phase European Bioplastics elects new Board to drive its next Phase: Recognition, Commitment, Trust and Scale
EU Project shows how digital tools can scale bioeconomy solutions A European initiative has demonstrated how digital marketplaces and regional partnerships can help agricultural side streams reach higher-value markets, offering a practical model for scaling bioeconomy solutions across diverse contexts
Biocatalytic upgrading of natural biopolymers for reassembly as multipurpose materials Most biocatalysts help break down plant materials into simple fuels and chemicals. EU-funded researchers used instead advanced enzyme engineering to tailor intact plant materials for use in high-performance products
15 June 202610 June 2026 Avantium publishes updated Life Cycle Assessment confirming up to 88% lower carbon emissions for releaf® The LCA was conducted with nova‑Institut and Tereos, using industrial data representative of future industrial production
12 June 20263 June 2026 EU rules could make fossil-free aviation fuels unnecessarily expensive and energy-intensive Last year, rules were introduced requiring a minimum blend of 2 percent sustainable aviation fuel at EU airports
EU-Vorschriften könnten fossilfreie Flugtreibstoffe unnötig teuer und energieintensiv machen Biomassevergasung übertrifft Verbrennung für E-Kraftstoffe, wird aber durch EU-Vorschriften verhindert
11 June 202610 June 2026 Renewable Materials Conference announces Six Nominees for the Innovation Award, Final Programme and High-Level Expert Panel The leading global event on the renewable carbon economy from 22-24 September 2026 in Siegburg/Cologne (Germany) will showcase the latest advances and future prospects in bioeconomy, CCU and recycling for the defossilisation of chemicals and materials
Die Renewable Materials Conference stellt sechs Nominierte für den Innovation Award, das finale Programm und ein hochrangiges Panel vor Das weltweit führende Event zur erneuerbaren Kohlenstoffwirtschaft präsentiert vom 22. bis 24. September 2026 in Siegburg die neuesten Fortschritte und Zukunftsperspektiven für Bioökonomie, CCU und Recycling für die Defossilisierung von Chemikalien und Materialien
10 June 20263 June 2026 EESC: “The EU needs a strong and coherent bioeconomy strategy” EU leadership in the bioeconomy, as EESC highlights in its opinion, hinges on establishing clear and enforceable sustainability safeguards that define which biological resources can be used as inputs
9 June 20263 June 2026 Commission approves €1.3 billion German State aid to support renewable hydrogen production Germany notified the Commission of its intention to introduce a scheme to support the production of renewable hydrogen through the 'Auctions-as-a-Service' tool within the European Hydrogen Bank
Kommission genehmigt deutsche Beihilferegelung im Umfang von 1,3 Mrd. EUR für die Erzeugung von erneuerbarem Wasserstoff Deutschland hatte bei der Kommission eine geplante Regelung angemeldet, mit der die Erzeugung von erneuerbarem Wasserstoff über das Instrument „Auktionen als Dienstleistung“ der Europäischen Wasserstoffbank gefördert werden soll
Increase in grain legume area in Germany According to the German Federal Statistical Office's latest forecast of grain legume cultivation area for the 2026 harvest, the dry pea area in Germany has expanded to approximately 147,400 hectares, representing a 14 per cent rise compared to the previous year
Flächenplus für Körnerleguminosen UFOP appelliert an Bundesumweltminister Schneider, die Doppelanrechnung bei Biokraftstoffen aus Abfallölen abzuschaffen
8 June 20263 June 2026 Dramatic slowdown in Europe’s transition to a circular plastics system The report’s key finding is that the pace of Europe’s transition has slowed dramatically amid increased global competition
Europäische Kunststoff-Wende ausgebremst Circular Economy Report 2026 zeigt: Die Krise der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit schwächt Klimaziele und strategische Autonomie
Emerging and promising applications which lead to reducing CO₂ emissions – driven in part by the locations of production plants Many efforts are underway to help reduce carbon emissions - some of the technologies outlined in this article will have to rely on subsidies in order to make them economically viable
2 June 20262 June 2026 Investments totalling more than 5 billion with a future bio-based quota for plastics in Europe Implementing a 5% bio-based quota for all polymers produced in Europe could be just as successful as the introduction of biofuels
Recovering critical materials from batteries: Chinese inventors selected as finalists for the European Inventor Award 2026 As global demand for electric vehicles and energy storage grows rapidly, securing sustainable supplies of critical battery materials has become a strategic priority worldwide
Zurückgewinnung kritischer Materialien aus Batterien: Chinesische Erfinder als Finalisten für den Europäischen Erfinderpreis 2026 benannt Vor dem Hintergrund einer rasch steigenden globalen Nachfrage nach Elektrofahrzeugen und Energiespeichern ist die Suche nach nachhaltigen Quellen für kritische Batteriematerialien weltweit zu einer Priorität geworden
29 May 202626 May 2026 Important Study from nova-Institute Recognised by Nature Magazine Nature highlights nova’s modelling: biomass is essential for defossilisation — but only part of the solution
28 May 202628 May 2026 Are you ready for a bio-based quota? Join the nova Workshop today! The nova-Institute’s 'Renewable Feedstock' department offers a concise and timely expert workshop to help you prepare for the political challenges ahead
26 May 202623 May 2026 Are you ready for a bio-based quota? The nova-Institute’s 'Renewable Feedstock' department offers a concise and timely expert workshop to help you prepare for the political challenges ahead
15 May 202611 May 2026 Europe’s new platform to help unlock funding for a bio-based future The Bioeconomy Investment Deployment Group will help Europe’s bioeconomy access the funding it needs to grow
13 May 20267 May 2026 Commission proposes actions to protect Europeans from the fossil energy crisis and accelerate the shift to clean, homegrown energy ‘AccelerateEU' presents both short-term and structural measures with longer-term effect to further reduce dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets
Kommission schlägt Maßnahmen zum Schutz der Europäerinnen und Europäer vor der Krise bei fossilen Energien und zur Beschleunigung des Übergangs zu sauberer, heimischer Energie vor „AccelerateEU“ umfasst sowohl kurzfristige als auch strukturelle Maßnahmen mit längerfristiger Wirkung, um die Abhängigkeit von volatilen Märkten für fossile Brennstoffe weiter zu verringern
8 May 20264 May 2026 EU Approves €5 Billion German and Czech Carbon Removal, Green Fuel Plans The German scheme will support measures for the permanent and extensive rewetting of peatlands while the Czech aid scheme is designed to support the production of sustainable biomethane for transportation
7 May 20265 May 2026 An interview with Philippe Mengal, executive director of BIC. “The bioeconomy is not just about replacing fossil carbon. It is about redefining Europe’s place in the global economy The next five years will determine whether Europe leads the bioeconomy, or imports it
PHAs are natural and fit within the Commission’s vision of a Circular Economy PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates) are a class of Natural Polymers that have not been chemically modified
5 May 20265 May 2026 nova-Institute Provides Scientific Basis for EU Policy on Bio-based Plastic Packaging under PPWR New analysis for the European Commission confirms no technical barriers to bio-based packaging, highlights average GHG emission savings, and recommends binding targets to drive defossilisation
Man-made cellulosic fibres, MMCF, their environmental effect The most factors and impacts are greenhouse gas emissions, water use, abiotic resource use, eutrophication, acidification and changes in land use
27 April 202622 April 2026 Turning CO2 from urban waste into useful consumer products EU-funded researchers are turning carbon emissions from urban waste into everyday household products – from cleaning liquids to leather
24 April 202620 April 2026 First CBAM certificate price is now available The European Commission has published the first price of CBAM certificates for 2026 Q1 on its new dedicated page on the CBAM website, marking an important milestone in the implementation of CBAM
21 April 202615 April 2026 Commission approves €6 billion Italian State aid scheme for renewable hydrogen The aid will bring about positive effects, in particular on the environment, as it will contribute to the decarbonisation of sectors with high emissions