All Knowledge & Insights By Date

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   According to a January 24, 2023, item published by the U.S. International Trade Administration (ITA), the demand for new bioplastic materials and innovative processing technologies is high, contributing to the European and Italian plastics circular economy policy. According to ITA, European demand for bioplastics (compostable, bio-attributed, and bio-based) grew more than 23 percent annually from 2019 to 2021, increasing from 210,000 to 320,000...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton   On November 21, 2022, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a Science & Tech Spotlight on biorecycling of plastics. Biological recycling, or biorecycling, is an emerging technology that uses microbes, such as bacteria or fungi, to break down plastic into its basic components for reuse. GAO states that research suggests that biorecycling of plastics could help promote a circular economy in which plastic waste is...

By Lynn L. Bergeson    On January 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) announced that seven research and development (R&D) projects were selected to receive $13.4 million in funding for R&D projects to advance next generation plastic technologies to reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of single-use plastics. The selected R&D projects, led by industry and universities, will focus...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On October 28, 2021, the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) announced that several of its scientists discovered in a study that bioplastics can be chemically recycled into nitrogen-rich fertilizers in an environmentally friendly manner. Assistant Professor Daisuke Aoki and Professor Hideyuki Otsuka led the study hoping to address plastic pollution, petrochemical resource depletion, and world hunger. In their novel method,...

By  Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A.   On May 25, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of up to $14.5 million in investments for research and development (R&D) to reduce waste and energy use related to the recycling of single-use plastics. As the largest subset of plastics found in landfills, single-use plastics, including plastic bags, wraps, and films, are also among the most challenging to recycle. According to DOE,...

By  Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On March 25, 2021, researchers from the University of Maryland Department (UMD) of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) published, in Nature Sustainability, a study titled “A strong, biodegradable and recyclable lignocellulosic bioplastic.”  The study outlines UMD MSE’s new in situ lignin regeneration strategy that synthesizes a high-performance bioplastic from lignocellulosic resources such as...

By   Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On January 19, 2021, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its Plastics Innovation Challenge Draft Roadmap (Draft Roadmap) alongside a Request for Information (RFI) seeking stakeholder input on the draft document. The Plastics Innovation Challenge is a DOE program focused on accelerating innovations in energy-efficient plastic recycling technologies. The aim of the Plastics Innovation Challenge is to make domestic...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On October 15, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the availability of over $27 million in funding for 12 projects supporting research and development (R&D) efforts toward advanced plastics recycling technologies and new recyclable plastics. These efforts are part of DOE’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, which aims to improve existing recycling processes that break plastics down into chemical building blocks that can be used to make new products....

By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 16, 2020, DOE EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Bioenergy Technologies Office used a joint funding opportunity announcement (FOA) of up to $25 million for plastics recycling R&D. As part of the Department’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, this FOA has been titled “BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics Out of Landfills and the Environment.” The BOTTLE FOA will support the development of new plastics capable of...

By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On February 19, 2020, the University of Oulu, Finland, announced that scientists from its Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry have developed a new synthetic bioplastic that provides protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In addition to its UV-light blocking capacity, the transparent bioplastic made from a biomass-based copolymer with bisfuran structure, the new bioplastic also has airtightness capabilities three to four times higher than...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On December 10, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) published a notice of intent to issue a joint Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), titled “BOTTLE: Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment.” This FOA supports the Department’s Plastics Innovation Challenge, a...

By Lynn L. Bergeson From December 11 through 12, 2019, DOE’s Office of Bioenergy Technologies Office will host a workshop titled “Plastics for a Circular Economy” in Denver, Colorado. The workshop will include discussions on technology solutions to address plastic waste and focus on the development of new recycling and degradation strategies. The objective of the workshop will be to identify early-stage applied research problems in the aforementioned area that need to be...

SuccessfulFarming, “Court: EPA Must Consider Environmental Impact When Setting Ethanol Mandate” Research Matters, “Researchers Design Salt-Tolerant Varieties of Indian Rice” Newsweek, “Scientists Turn Carbon Dioxide into Ant Venom Biofuel” Err.ee, “Finance Ministry Rejects Economic Affairs Ministry Biofuel Legal Amends” GreenBiz, “How Synthetic Biology Can Help Build Sustainable Cities” British Plastics and Rubber Magazine, “New...

PlasticsToday, “A Visual Tour of Packaging and Products from Ocean Plastics” geek.com, “Scientist Creates Bioplastic from Mango Peels and Seaweed” foodingredientsfirst.com, “European Scientists Call for EU Rethink of ‘Retrograde’ Gene-Editing Legislation” New Atlas, “Wormy Chemicals Used to Trick Crops into Protecting Themselves” Regulatory Focus, “Industry Groups Support FDA’s Latest Biosimilar Analytic Assessment...

Reuters, “U.S. EPA Revives Provision That May Name Refiners Applying for Biofuel Waivers” Washington Examiner, “2020 Democrats Embrace Green New Deal at Their Peril in Iowa, Land of Ethanol” Reuters, “U.S. EPA May Grant Fewer Biofuel Waivers Due to Low Credit Prices: Wheeler” The Chemical Engineer, “BP Joins Effort to Make Paraxylene from Biological Sources” The Western Producer, “Canola-based Plastic May Hit Market Soon” The Hindu,...

K5News, “Port of Seattle Pushing to Use More Biofuels on Flights” Sioux City Journal, “Letter: Biofuels Industry Needs Support from Leaders in Washington” Trade Arabia, “Boeing to Offer Biofuel to Fly New Airplanes Home” Green Tech Media, “US Energy Storage Broke Records in 2018, but the Best Is Yet to Come” Reuters, “Senators Propose Bill to Extend Biodiesel, other Expired Tax Provisions” Olive Oil Times, “Environmentally...

Biofuels International, “Coconut Biodiesel Increase Suggested by Lawmaker in Philippines” Chemical Engineering, “BP, Virent and Johnson Matthey Partner on Production of Bio-based Paraxylene” The Express Tribune, “Biotechnology Can Transform Pakistan’s Economy” Energy AgWired, “GROWMARK Offers Pre-blended E15 at More Terminals” Reuters, “U.S. EPA Gets 37 Bids for Small Refinery Waivers through Mid-February” PhysicsWorld,...

Green Car Congress, “DSM and Roquette Change Their Relationship for Bio-based Succinic Acid Production” Bio-based World News, “French Tech Firm Afyren Secures €60m to Develop Bio-based Acids” Bio-based World News, “New Dutch Programme Launched to Help European Biotech Start-ups” Phys.org, “AllThings.Bio Presents its Second Series of Videos Clips About Bio-based Products” Packaging Europe, “Biome Bioplastics and Futamura Present Biobased...

By Lynn L. Bergeson In January 2019, scientists at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands, published a study on the application of enzymatic polymerization techniques in the preparation of sustainable furan-based copolyesters. With increased content of aromatic units, two different synthetic approaches are introduced in the article. Financially supported by the Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education, the study provides the necessary background to design sustainable, high-performance...

E&E News, “‘Science is Back’: New Governor Aims for Renewable Boom” AsianScientist, “Catalyzing a Path Towards ‘Greener’ Plastics” eureporter, “Organic and Safe Fertilizers in the EU” ASC, “From Health Food to Biofuels: Meet the First Algae Farm to Attain ASC-MSC Certification” Bio-based World News, “InSciTe Set to Open Bio-based Innovation Pilot Plant in April” Packaging Europe, “In Search of a...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On December 18, 2018, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency of the United Kingdom (UK) published a policy paper titled “Our Waste, Our Resources:  A Strategy for England.” The paper outlines the strategy to be implemented for the preservation of material resources through minimizing waste, promoting resource efficiency, and moving towards a circular economy. The strategic framework to be put forth is guided by two...

Biofuels International, “Biogas-to-Biofuel Technology Accepted for Testing” Biofuels International, “Prospects Raised for Large Scale Algae Biofuel Production” Reuters, “Biofuel Groups Ask Federal Judge to Freeze U.S. Refinery Waiver Program” Packaging Gateway, “Leaf Resources Extends Leafcoat License to Europe” Reuters, “Iowa Senator Says Expect Fewer Biofuel Waivers from Wheeler’s EPA” Fronteras, “Food Biotechnology Added...

Phys.org, “New Method Enables Large-Scale Production of Bio-Based Plastic Bottles” Mercom India, “India Joins the Club for Collaboration on New and Alternate Fuels” Biofuels Digest, “University of Delaware Start-Up Creates Renewable Oil that Can Be Used from Cosmetics to Lubricants” Reuters, “Britain’s Renewable Electricity Capacity Overtakes Fossil Fuels — Report” Renewable Energy Magazine, “APPA Claims Biofuel a Key Ingredient...

Eureactiv, “EU Bioeconomy Strategy and IPCC – Planets Apart” Dentristry.co.uk, “First Bio-based Plastic Toothbrush Launched” Automotive World, “First Biobased Coating Hardener for Lightfast Polyurethane Coatings” Chemical Engineering, “Anellotech Announces Scaleup Plans for Bio-Based BTX Production” Renewables Now, “BNDES Grants USD 13m to Brazilian Ethanol Producer”...

Des Moines Register, “In Iowa, Trump Says He Kept His E15 Promises, Claims Democrats Would ‘End Ethanol’” Bloomberg, “Gene-Edited Foods Are Coming to Your Plate but Aren’t Being Regulated” inhabitat, “Nuatan Is the Bioplastic That Could Answer the Plastic Pollution Crisis” UPROXX, “This ‘Bio Plastic’ Is 100% Compostable and Poised to Change the World” BiofuelsDigest, “Novozymes’ Yeast Beast in New Release;...

Agence de Presse Africaine (APA News), “Nigeria: Government to Support 1000 Cotton Farmers” Forbes, “Trump’s Relationship with American Farmers Is Soiled Because of Biofuels Stance and Trade War” Brisbane Times, “Biofuels Successfully Trialled in Flights from Brisbane Airport” PackagingNews, “PepsiCo Joins Danone and Nestlé Waters in Bio-based Bottles R&D Partnership”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On August 30, 2018, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (Fraunhofer IGB) published an article announcing the latest advances in using 3-carene as a building block to produce biobased plastics. The aforementioned substance, 3-carene, “is a component of turpentine oil, a waste stream of the production of cellulose from wood.” This substance can be found in pine, larch, or spruce and is usually a byproduct that ends...

Food Business News, “New Pet Food Packaging Initiative Utilizes Sustainable Sugarcane” Environmental Leader, “Government Regs and Consumer Awareness Drive Bioplastic Packaging Market” Spring Wise, “Biotechnology Solution Turns Waste into Valuable Metals”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson At Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, Dominik Kopp, a Ph.D. student, has developed a method for turning coffee waste into biodegradable plastic coffee cups. Because of its properties, sugars are an efficient source that is often converted into biobased chemicals. According to this study, coffee grounds consist of 50 percent sugars that can be converted into lactic acid. Once this is done, lactic acid can be used to produce biodegradable plastics....

Plastics Technology, “Materials: Marine Biodegradable Bioplastic Compound” The Economic Times – India, “Government Puts Restrictions on Export of Bio-fuels” inUth BETA, “India Joins U.S. and Australia with Launch of First-Ever Biofuel Flight” Ecns.cn, “Biofuels Push to Help Clear the Air” DairyReporter.com, “United Caps and Braskem Launch ‘I’m Green’ Bio-sourced Plastic Caps and Closures”...

EurekAlert!, “Renewables Could Drastically Cut Tailpipe Emissions” AP News, “US Says Conserving Oil Is No Longer an Economic Imperative” Reuters, “Gene-editing Startups Ignite the Next ‘Frankenfood’ Fight” Stora Enso, “Stora Enso and Orthex Combine Wood Fibre and Bioplastic into Durable Consumer Products” U.S. Department of Energy, “New Members of Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee Announced”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson Researchers in Lithuania and Egypt have discovered how to use N, N-dimethylcyclohexylamine (DMCHA) to break down multilayer flexible packaging (MFP) that pose a threat to the environment. MFP is used in making blister pill packages, candy wrappers, chip packets, and related products, and can contain aluminum, among other toxic substances, which when leaked or incinerated is hazardous to the environment. Although some practices exist to separate the multilayered packaging...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On August 13, 2018, France’s Secretary of State to the Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, Brune Poirson, announced during an interview a new plan to charge ten percent more for packaged products that do not use recycled plastic in 2019. France aims to transition 100 percent of its packaging use into recyclable plastic by 2025. With this goal in mind, the French government will be introducing a number of...

Bio-based World News, “Expert View: Growing the Irish Forest Bio-economy”  Master Bond, “High Tensile Strength Epoxy Adhesive Utilizes Renewable Biomaterial” ABC News, “How a Humble Australian Bee Could Help the World’s Plastic Problem” Edie.Net, “Iceland Launches Plastic-Free Chewing Gum in UK First”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 18, 2018, Neste, a member of the Biobased and Renewable Products Advocacy Group (BRAG®) announced that it is exploring the use of waste plastic as a raw material in fossil refining, with a plan to start an industrial scale trial during 2019.  If successful, Neste could process one million tons of plastic waste annually by 2030.  The chemical recycling process uses “waste plastics as raw material for the refining and...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 16, 2018, Anellotech and Suntory announced that a new milestone had been reached in developing a 100 percent biobased plastic bottle. Anellotech is using a thermal catalytic process called Bio-TCatTM to confirm non-food based feedstocks into BTX aromatics, renewable chemicals that are structurally identical to traditional plastic components.  The BTX is now undergoing purification studies to make bio-paraxylene, a key chemical for the renewable bottles....

The Guardian, “Researchers Race to Make Bioplastics from Straw and Food Waste” Imperial College London, “New Enzyme Boost Could Hasten Biofuel Production” GreenBiz, “Ambitious Alliance Mobilizes Value Chain for Bio-Based Polymers”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On July 5, 2018, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd announced that it had developed a 100 percent biobased, thermally formable, biodegradable material, that is suitable for furniture applications.  This product is an attractive alternative to wood and other biocomposite materials that are already available in the market, with the added benefit of formality and coloring properties.  "All the goals we set were achieved: the material is 100% bio-based,...

Plastics Insight, “EU-Funded Researchers to Develop Eco-Friendly Bio-Based Materials for Aircraft” Biomass Magazine, “ISO Committee Advances Development of Standards for Solid Biofuel” University of Portsmouth, “John McGeehan Key Player in Discovery of ‘Promiscuous’ Enzyme That Converts Plant Waste into...

Plastics Insight, “IKEA, Neste Collaborates for First Large-scale Production of Renewable, Bio-based Polypropylene Plastic” Markets Insider, “Kreussler Inc. Earns USDA Certified Biobased Product Label” CISION PRWeb, “John Kaweske Announces Bio Clean Energy Wins $36 Million Biodiesel Supply Contract Bolivia Government Oil Companies”...

PR Newswire, “Ground-breaking bio-based dry cleaning solvent to be produced by Green Biologics and Kreussler Chemicals” Attis Industries, “Attis Industries Converts Corn Ethanol Coproducts into Biobased Grocery Bags" Sealed Air, “Sealed Air to Offer Plantic™ Bio-Based Food Packaging in the United States, Canada and Mexico” Phys.org, “Renewable solvents derived from lignin lowers waste in biofuel production”...

Plastics Technology, “Focus on Renewable Chemicals Expands for Braskem” Wired, “This Spider-topping Super Wood Is the Strongest Biomaterial Ever” Design News, “Bioplastics Get Tougher and Greener: Durable and Engineering-grade Versions Are Appearing in Cars and Consumer Electronics, as Well as Appliances and Toys” Composites World, “Sicomin Bio-based Epoxy Earns ECOBOARD Qualification"...

European Biotechnology, “GBS 2018: Bioeconomy leaders foster shift to sustainable industry production” S&P Global, “Braskem expands renewable plastics research with Boston operation” Unearthed, “Malaysia ready to hit back at UK if EU palm oil biofuels ban goes ahead”...

Bloomberg, “Your Regular Audi Could Run on Straw Soon” Youris, “A New Sustainable Initiative in Bristol, in the UK, Uses Bio-Based Materials to Face the Need for Additional and Affordable Housing Supply” Science Daily, “Researchers Developing Renewable Energy Approach for Producing Ammonia” Times of Oman, “Omani Researchers Make Bio-Plastic Out of Fish Scales”...

Anellotech, “Anellotech Achieves Key Process Technology Operating Milestone” Veolia, “Veolia Grows Biomass Leadership, To Operate Two Additional Projects in Georgia”  Plastics Today, “PHA Bioplastics a ‘Tunable’ Solution for Convenience Food Packaging” Reuters, “South Africa Signs $4.7 Billion of Delayed Renewable Energy Deals”...

By Lynn L. Bergeson On March 20, 2018, BioLogiQ, Inc. announced that its NuPlastiQ® GP biopolymer received certification under the USDA BioPreferred program.  NuPlastiQ is a 100 percent renewably-resourced, plant-based resin that is blended with traditional plastics to reduce fossil-based plastic use and greenhouse gas emissions.  The thermoplastic resin is produced using BioLogiQ’s proprietary process for converting high crystalline starch into a low crystalline (mostly...

AkzoNobel, “AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals’ 2018 Imagine Chemistry Challenge Generates 150 Innovative Business Ideas” Enerkem, “Enerkem Makes A Major Breakthrough By Producing A New High-Octane Biofuel” Fast Company, “This USDA Lab Is Turning Billions Of Pounds Of Almond Waste Into Beer, Plastic, And Power” Electrolux, “Electrolux Builds The World’s First Bioplastic Concept Fridge”...

Platts, “USDA Official Vows to Fight Brazil's 20% Tariff on US Ethanol” Advanced Biofuels Business Council, “Broad Coalition to EPA:  Unlock Corn Kernel Fiber Cellulosic Ethanol”  Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology, “A Step Towards Independence From Fossil Resources” Meridian Waste Solutions Inc., “Meridian Waste Solutions’ Attis Innovations Partners with Genarex” University of Georgia, “Gene Improves Plant...

By Kathleen M. Roberts Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) announced the development of a method to create a supertough renewable plastic with improved manufacturability.  The method involved the addition of a small amount of silanes to polylactic acid (PLA), a bioplastic commonly used in packaging, textiles, biomedical implants, and 3D printing.  The new bioplastic demonstrated improved tensile strain and tensile toughness, without a loss in tensile strength and...

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, “EERE Success Story –Archer Daniels Midland Partners with PNNL to Become a Leading Producer of Biobased Propylene Glycol” Reuters, “Chemical Industry in Bid to Harness Germany's Green Power Overload” Nasdaq, “U.S. Refiner PES Says Bankruptcy Plan Hinges on Biofuel Costs” University of Wisconsin, “Bio-Renewable Process Could Help ‘Green’ Plastic” Stanford, “Stanford-Led Team...