Features
The “keystone species” of the sustainable bioeconomy
Like every bioeconomy sector, the industries around biobased chemicals and biomaterials depend on the living world. Certain species hold immense importance in biobased supply chains - particularly crop species that are usually destined for human food. Among the most important…
France made composting compulsory. What does it mean for the bioeconomy?
From 1 January 2024, the French government made composting mandatory for every individual, household, and business in the country. Estimates say that 82 kilos of compostable waste is thrown away per person each year and the law could significantly boost…
European horticulture is ripe for circularity
Horticulture is an essential part of Europe’s regional food and economic security. Greenhouse cultivation grants year-round yields even where degraded soils and poor climate limits conventional farming.
How can bananas build a more equitable bioeconomy?
As a rule of thumb, waste feedstocks are among the most sustainable inputs for making biobased materials. One kind with immense potential as an industrial input is banana industry waste. Fibres from biomass left after harvesting have the potential to…
Can Europe’s blue bioeconomy live up to its promises?
Europe has been pushing to grow its blue bioeconomy for years, including sectors that produce high value chemicals and materials processed from marine organisms. We look at the EU’s policies around this and the hurdles it faces in becoming a…
The return of bioplastics in 2023
2022 was the year of vegan and renewable textiles - the biobased segment that received among the highest financing rounds of the year. This year, things have shifted somewhat, with a swing back to packaging and bioplastics.