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13 February 20209 September 2021

5 Minutes With… Vera Essmann from Covestro

The company is currently developing new bio-based products based on biomass, CO₂, and recycled waste

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12 February 20207 February 2020

Sugarcane bagasse may replace oil in plastic production

Research is being conducted at the São Carlos Chemistry Institute

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Teresa Kok to engage Europe on direction of Malaysian oil palm industry

One-week visit will involve the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium, to address the widespread anti-palm oil campaign in the continent

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11 February 20209 September 2021

Negative emissions pioneer Drax announces new CCUS projects during Energy Minister’s visit

New partnership with cleantech company Econic Technologies to explore the potential for using captured carbon dioxide from its biomass power generation

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MEGaproject: UPM and its $600M gambit in renewable chemicals

Company chewed through a lengthy evaluation process for a technology partner, and ultimately selected supercritical technology and tapped Renmatix as the partner

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10 February 20205 February 2020

Novamont – Serbian Government Agreement to Design the Circular Bioeconomy

During the five-year collaboration, Novamont to design a model for the separate collection of urban and agricultural waste, collaboration may be extended to industrial investments

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7 February 20207 February 2020

Call for Innovations: Bio-based Material of the Year 2020

13th International Conference on Bio-based Materials, 12-13 May 2020, Cologne, Germany

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Greentech pioneer AVA Biochem teams-up with Michelin Group to foster eco-innovation

Collaboration aims to establish the world’s first commercial-scale production plant of 5-HMF, and to ultimately bring novel product applications onto the market

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Italy welcomes bioeconomy, kisses agricultural runoff goodbye

Italy has invested heavily in the bioeconomy, primarily in research, also supported by the European Union

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6 February 20203 February 2020

A novel environmentally friendly process for depolymerization of hydrolysis lignin using Kraft cooking liquor:

Chemicals recoverable by the Kraft recovery cycle - developed approach could be significantly more cost‐effective if integrated into Kraft pulp mill operations

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5 February 20201 February 2020

DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award 2020

Nominations for the 2020 DNFI Innovation in Natural Fibres Award are now being accepted - Anyone with interest in natural fibres is welcome to join DNFI

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Mattel’s biobased building blocks, world’s 1st fuel-cell powered train, self-healing “Frankenstein” concrete, potato starch produce packaging, and more

The Digest’s Top 10 Innovations for the week of January 30th

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4 February 20203 February 2020

UPM invests in next generation biochemicals to drive a switch from fossil raw materials to sustainable solutions

EUR 550 million in an industrial scale biorefinery to convert solid wood into next generation biochemicals

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An alternative solution for climate neutrality?

Low-carbon fuels made from anything from wood pellets to garbage could hold the key to reducing CO₂ emissions in the transport sector. Jonathan Benton reports on a European Parliament event looking at the potential benefits

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At Davos, innovative products point to a sustainable future

A short overview about the bio-based developments at the World Economic Forum 2020

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3 February 202029 January 2020

Scientists create monstrous ‘living concrete’ that regenerates itself

Researchers at the University of Colorado have discovered how to concoct a remarkably durable material that captures and reproduces carbon using crystallized minerals deposited via photosynthetic cyanobacteria

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21 Reasons Why Powerizer Complete Is A Detergent & Cleaner That Keeps Giving

Plant and Mineral-Based Cleaner Certified Across Dish, Laundry, Carpet and Multi-purpose Cleaners

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31 January 202028 January 2020

Conagra Brands Announces Sustainable Packaging Goal

Company aims to reduce overall use of plastic and make 100% of current plastic packaging renewable, recyclable or compostable by 2025

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Germany’s new bioeconomy strategy criticised for overlooking agriculture, food production

Its logic sounds impressively simple: The economy should increasingly switch to renewable raw materials, meaning it should become independent of coal, oil and gas

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30 January 202012 February 2020

Deep insight into a turbulent and growing market – Expert workshop on the global production of bio-based building blocks and polymers

nova Session “Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2019-2024”. A Workshop with leading biopolymer experts from Germany, the Netherlands and the USA. Join in, learn, discuss and share.

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1st ECP Job Exchange at the 4th European Chemistry Partnering

The 1st ECP Job Exchange offers a very clear focus on content as well as exclusive access to top-class participants who are committed to this topic

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Wood-based lid for quark containers − Valio and Stora Enso test biocomposite in food packaging

Reusable lids will be used to test the wood-based biocomposite in food packaging

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Resolute invests $38 million in its Kénogami mill in Quebec

New $27 million project will create eight jobs in the startup phase slated for 2021, and a total of 23 jobs once the plant reaches its full production capacity of 21 metric tons per day

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Leave nothing to waste in agriculture: Spain’s race to top circular economy

The agrifood sector is aiming to become a leader in the circular economy

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29 January 202028 January 2020

Single-use plastic: China to ban bags and other items

Plastic bags will be banned across all cities and towns in 2022, though markets selling fresh products will be exempt until 2025, restaurant industry by 30%  

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Five ways to turn CO₂ from pollution to a valuable product

All options for using CO₂ have potential, but making them a reality will need a clear understanding of the possible unintended consequences

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Will the skyscrapers of the future be made out of wood?

Wood products that are nearly as strong as steel are going into more high-rises, locking up carbon. But can we grow enough trees to keep pace?

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Bioeconomy in the CAP’s nine objectives

The recently updated bioeconomy strategy now looks more at the concept of circular economy in general than at the mere re-use of energy

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28 January 202023 January 2020

Bitrez Ltd launches bio-based resins at JEC World 2020

New family of bio-based resins are designed especially for composite applications and are REACH compliant

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Prehistoric microbes valorize carbon dioxide under high pressure to ‘green gas’

Innovative bioreactor using microorganisms and extreme pressure conditions with high-efficiency to transform CO₂ into "green" natural gas

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French bio-waste finds second life in building insulation

Many French SMEs are starting to manufacture natural insulation materials based on bio-sourced materials and biowaste as alternative to conventional insulation

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Chief technology officer and green chemistry scientific advisor join Circa Group

Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group Ltd, who produces bio-based solvent Cyrene from waste biomass – has announced two additions to the team

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EU bets on bioeconomy to deliver farming aspects of the Green Deal

Bioeconomy is a great opportunity for agriculture and farmers to play a critical role in making the European Green Deal a success

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27 January 202027 January 2020

The global bio-based polymer market 2019 – A revised view on a turbulent and growing market

Turbulent times for bio-based polymers in 2019: PLA sold out despite expansion, as did PHA. Bio-based PP available for the first time, increased production of PBAT, PBS, bio-based PE, starch-containing polymer compounds and epoxy resins.

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Thailand Board of Investment Points Out the High Potential for Thailand to Be Bioplastics Hub

Due to its abundant raw materials, existing value chain and supportive government policies, the country is paving the path for investments in bioplastics projects

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Bioeconomy hype shouldn’t put biodiversity preservation at risk, experts say

The use of biomass on a wider scale in place of coal could be an opportunity for the Polish heating industry and energy suppliers

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Could bacteria help recycle greenhouse gases in the future?

Could bacteria assist in the recycling of greenhouse gases in the future instead of releasing them into the atmosphere?

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24 January 202021 January 2020

Wood-Based Alternative: Feminine Hygiene Fibres from Kelheim

The viscose hygiene fibres from Kelheim offer significant ecologic advantages: they are made from cellulose and they are fully biodegradable

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NC Partnering Newsletter 01/2020

Building a sustainable bioeconomy – focus on wood products

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23 January 202027 January 2020

The PULP2VALUE project was awarded with the BBI award for the highest number of cross-sectoral interconnections

As coordinator of the project, Royal COSUN (NL) received the award from Philippe Mengal, BBI JU Executive Director on the BBI JU Stakeholder Forum 2019

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ADM and P2 Science to Collaborate in Plant-Based Specialty Chemicals and Materials

The two companies have executed a Memorandum of Understanding addressing Plant-Based Monomers, Polymers, and Specialty Products

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Self-stick adhesive made with black pepper derivative adjusts to many tastes

UV light tunes properties of pressure-sensitive biobased adhesive

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22 January 202017 January 2020

BioICEP project to develop next generation materials kicks off

€5 million project BioICEP, which will span four years, aims to develop sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastic

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Towards sustainability — From a by-product of the biodiesel industry to a valuable chemical

New cheap and efficient copper-based catalyst can be used to convert glycerol into dihydroxyacetone, same process produces hydrogen molecules from water

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20 January 202015 January 2020

Hortmeyer and White to Lead DNFI

Both have extensive knowledge of fibres, fibre markets and fibre production, and each is highly qualified as an advocate for natural fibres

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A vision: insect biorefineries as components of a sustainable bioeconomy

BMBF is funding projects for applications of insects-based chitosan as a sustainable domestic source that can replace tropical oils

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Italy waters down plastic tax after complaints from business

Changes to Italy's new plastic tax were contained within an amendment made to the 2020 budget bill

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17 January 202016 January 2020

Science Year 2020 – bioeconomy

Towards a sustainable economy!

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16 January 202021 January 2020

Identifizierung der vorteilhaftesten Kombinationen aus Rohstoff, Syntheseweg und Zielmolekül – Stakeholder-Registrierung für Verbundprojekt EvaChem offen

Was sind die vorteilhaftesten stoff- und prozessbezogenen Kombinationen aus Rohstoff, Syntheseweg und Zielmolekül? Wann sind Biomasse erster und zweiter Generation oder CO₂ am vorteilhaftesten? Und, für welche Synthesewege und Zielmoleküle bleiben fossile Rohstoffe von Vorteil?  

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Industry and farmers expect ‘science-based’ solutions to deliver New Green Deal

Dupont-Inglis said that she hoped the Commission will “do more to deliver practical and science-based rules for products resulting from agricultural biotechnology"