12 June 20263 June 2026 Enzymes as recycling heroes: Leipzig University researches sustainable plastic recycling Using new bioinformatics approaches and interdisciplinary methods, Dr Georg Künze (Faculty of Medicine) and Dr Christian Sonnendecker (Faculty of Chemistry), together with other Leipzig University researchers, have paved the way for a practical, environmentally friendly recycling technology
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
BASF Agricultural Solutions successfully commissions new fermentation plant for crop protection products in Ludwigshafen BASF Agricultural Solutions has successfully commissioned its BioHub, a new fermentation plant for biological and biotechnology-based crop protection products, at the Ludwigshafen site
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
Innovation paves way to make ‘clean’ chemicals, plastics and food using solar energy Integrated solar reactor uses sunlight, water, CO₂ and engineered bacteria to grow biomass in a single beaker
Cyanobacterial carbonic anhydrases drive carbon recycling and prodrug biosynthesis in Escherichia coli Cyanobacterial carbonic anhydrases, integrated with Calvin cycle modules, enable carbon dioxide recycling in Escherichia coli, advancing minimalist organelle engineering
Bangladesh secures support for Asia-Pacific bioeconomy transition The embassy said this was the first Bangladesh-sponsored resolution adopted in the UN system at the initiative of the newly elected government
SZTE Researchers Take Major Step Toward Industrial CO2 Utilization Globally, the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide is attracting growing interest from both researchers and industry
Ohmium and InSolare Collaborate to Deliver a Multi-application Green Hydrogen Project for NLC India Limited Ohmium and InSolare Energy have announced their collaboration on a 4 MW capacity landmark green hydrogen project for NLC India Limited in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu. NLC India Limited is a pioneer in renewable energy development and continues to expand its green energy portfolio to support India's carbon neutrality and energy transition goals
10 June 20263 June 2026 Lindex and BASF partner to bring textile-to-textile recycled polyamide to lingerie sector Lindex has partnered with BASF’s loopamid® to accelerate textile-to-textile recycling and advance the shift towards more circular material solutions in the fashion industry. Together they introduce loopamid to the lingerie sector
Stora Enso introduces Bergslagets Skogar as the new name for its Swedish forest asset company Bergslagets Skogar represents Stora Enso’s Swedish forest asset entity, comprising long term, sustainably managed forest land with a history of active ownership extending back to year 1288
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
Topsoe’s compact electric reactor could make green methanol as cheap as fossil fuels — using biogas waste A conventional steam methanol reformer stands roughly six stories tall and stretches 30 meters end to end. Topsoe thinks it can shrink that down to a few cubic meters
ÄIO ingredients receive Vegan certification At ÄIO, we believe the future of cosmetic ingredients should combine performance, sustainability, and responsible innovation
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
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
Marine microalgal biofuels: toward a systems-based circular biofactory Marine microalgae are frequently promoted as sustainable biofuel feedstocks because of their halotolerance, high photosynthetic efficiency, and limited land requirements, yet commercial deployment remains elusive
From Waste To Wealth: How Chemical Giants Are Rebuilding Global Manufacturing Through Circular Infrastructure Nowadays, increasing environmental pressure, tightening regulation, and supply chain vulnerabilities force leading chemical companies to implement more sustainable practices
8 June 20263 June 2026 Making green hydrogen more affordable Hydrogen can partially replace fossil fuels, which makes it a cornerstone of the energy transition
Biochar shows strong promise for locking more carbon in soils, global review finds A global analysis suggests biochar can substantially increase soil carbon sequestration, while its effects on soil CO2 flux and microbial respiration remain less certain
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
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
5 June 20263 June 2026 Fortum inaugurates Kalla Test Center in Loviisa Fortum decided to build the Kalla Test Center as part of its step‑by‑step approach to exploring hydrogen’s role in the energy transition
AMP and Lignin Industries Announce Exclusive Partnership to Accelerate Resilient & Sustainable Material Innovation Strategic collaboration to grow bio-based thermoplastics in polymer applications
Balrampur Chini aims ₹ 2,000 cr revenue from new bio-plastic plant in UP Balrampur Chini Mills, which has 10 sugar factories in Uttar Pradesh, is setting up a Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) plant of 80,000 tonnes per annum capacity at a cost of more than ₹3,000 crore
Naturally sustainable – bio-based compounds and films for demanding applications The market for bio-based plastics is set to nearly double over the next five years. While total production volume stood at 4.5 million metric tons in 2025, projections indicate that it will rise to more than 8.5 million metric tons by 2030
HKRITA Joins Hands With Mainland Partners To Advance Circular Technology This honour underscores the industry’s confidence in the Green Machine’s role in advancing circular innovation
3 June 202628 May 2026 traceless® opens first industrial production facility for nature-based material innovation Hamburg-based materials pioneer traceless® has created the world’s first industrial production facilities for a next-generation natural polymer technology. The goal is to combat global plastic pollution, end dependence on fossil raw materials, and build a circular bioeconomy in Europe
Agilyx ASA increases shareholding in GreenDot Global to over 50% Agilyx will meet the requirements to fully consolidate GreenDot’s financial statements, and upon closing of the transaction, will begin consolidation accounting
BitByBit: PHA cutting boards bring circular materials into the kitchen Founded by Wessel Schönekerl, the company combines material innovation with local production in the Netherlands, aiming to demonstrate that sustainable consumer products can be manufactured closer to the end market while maintaining design quality and functionality
Low-cost solar PV can turn CO2 into profitable materials enabling negative emissions Three recent studies on electricity-based carbon fiber, silicon carbide, and graphene aimed at enabling large-scale negative emissions by 2050
Liquid Wind AB Declared Bankrupt Liquid Wind AB, the parent company of the Liquid Wind Group, was declared bankrupt on 11 May 2026. Lawyer Lars Melin of the law firm Styrks was appointed as bankruptcy trustee
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
Monthly News from the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), May 2026 May Highlights: Three New RCI Projects Kicked Off, Participation in Survey, New Roundtable in June, Involvement in core groups of CCA WGs, WG Policy Work, Call to Action: Sign Braskem and Carbon Trust’s Initiative, Ambassador Activities in Brussels and Beyond
KRICT demonstrates direct CO2-to-gasoline and naphtha production at 50 kg per day Successful pilot-scale demonstration of direct conversion of carbon dioxide into liquid hydrocarbons without the conventional intermediate carbon monoxide conversion step
Hyosung TNC Marks a Major Step in its Integrated Bio-Spandex Platform at Global Fashion Summit 2026 Hyosung TNC’s participation at this year’s Summit included an on-stage panel session at the DR Concert Hall, a private leadership roundtable hosted in collaboration with Global Fashion Agenda, and an Innovation Forum presence designed to bring the bio-based material journey to life for attendees
Essentra surpasses 2030 emissions target five years early Essentra Components, the global manufacturer and distributor of essential industrial components, today announced that it has surpassed its 2030 Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment five years ahead of schedule, by achieving a 62% reduction in scope one and two emissions against its 2019 baseline
Notice Regarding Withdrawal from the Polybutylene Succinate (PBS) Business After careful consideration of future prospects, Mitsubishi Chemical has concluded that achieving sustainable growth in this business will be difficult and has therefore decided to withdraw from the business
1 June 20262 June 2026 Renewable Materials Conference: Book your Booth now! The Global Networking Point of the Renewable Carbon Economy will take place in Siegburg near Cologne, Germany, 22 to 24 September
ZOOM-Interview with Alex Hogan (CEO of Vioneo) by Michael Carus (nova-Institut/RCI), 11 May 2026 The vision of Vioneo as 'fossil-free pioneers for the plastics industry, using green methanol to produce fossil-free polypropylene and polyethylene on a commercial scale' will be realised in China, not in Europe. Michael asks Alex why this is the case.
UPM acquires Ray Technology®intellectual property from Avantium, broadening its bio-based glycols IP portfolio The acquisition strategically broadens the scope of UPM's IP portfolio safeguarding biomass-to-glycols conversion pathways and adds optionality for future process configurations as UPM continues to scale its bio-based chemicals business
LanzaTech Selects North Sea Port, Ghent as Site for Europe’s First Commercial Alcohol-to-Jet SAF Facility €500 Million Project Targets 79 000 Tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel and 9 000 Tonnes of Renewable Diesel Annually
Start-ups as drivers of innovation in the tire circular economy AZuR networks innovative start-ups with established industry partners
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
Trillium Raises $13M to Launch World’s First Demonstration Plant for Bio-based Acrylonitrile Following a successful multi-year pilot program validating its glycerol-to-acrylonitrile technology, Trillium selected INEOS Nitriles’ Green Lake facility to host the world’s first demonstration plant (deemed “Project Falcon”) for the manufacture of 100% bio-based acrylonitrile
Waste feedstocks could replace fossil carbon in 87 per cent of cosmetic formulations Engineering biology and circular feedstocks offer a route out of the cosmetics sector's fossil carbon dependency, but UK regulation is adding cost and delay to commercialisation.
GAIA BioMaterials obtains European patent for PLA-free film extrusion materials GAIA BioMaterials has received final confirmation on the approval of its European patent for PLA-free film extrusion materials
Biogenic carbon dioxide storage and mineral carbonation uptake in EU buildings At the building level, bio-based materials show the largest storage effects
28 May 202622 May 2026 Closing the Carbon Cycle: Unraveling the Roles of Light and Heat in CO2 Photocatalysis Researchers reveal how photocatalytic and photothermal processes work together to enhance CO2-to-CH4 conversion