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Versalis, Eni’s chemical company, has announced that all the plants at Crescentino (Vercelli, Piedmont) will be up and running by the first half of 2020. The plant, acquired in November 2018, is designed for industrial-scale production of bioethanol and has been upgraded with an investment of more than 15 million euro.

Kompuestos president Ignacio Duch is attending the 13th edition of the Frankfurt European Midcap Event, which will take place next Tuesday, February 11.

Greentech pioneer AVA Biochem AG in Zug, Switzerland has developed, patented and piloted a fully water-based process for the conversion of industrial sugars into the 100% bio-based molecule 5-HMF.

In what is being hailed as the next step in Mattel’s environmental sustainability commitment for 2030, the company announced that MEGA, the Company’s popular construction brand, is launching new products derived from bio-based plastic line

Morris columns, the quintessential Parisian advertising columns found on the pavements throughout the city, were developed by Gabriel Morris in the nineteenth century. By 1900, the city boasted some 200 of these columns; today, there are 550, owned and operated by JCDecaux.

Eighty years after nylon’s first commercial production, clean manufacturing technology leader Genomatica achieved a new milestone for the material — its production of the world’s first renewably-sourced ton of the key ingredient for nylon-6, made from plants instead of crude oil.

Arkema is developing innovative and sustainable solutions for the sports market. At the upcoming ISPO fair in Munich, which takes place from January 26 to 29, 2020, the company will be presenting its range of high-performance Pebax elastomer products.

Turbulent times for bio-based polymers in 2019: PLA sold out despite expansion, as did PHA. Bio-based PP became available for the first time, there was increased production of PBAT, PBS, bio-based PE, starch-containing polymer compounds and epoxy resins. The production of, particularly, bio-based PET decreased. At the same time, there is a lack of support from policy makers: bio-based and biodegradable plastics are lumped into the same category as fossil plastics in the Plastic Policy.

Kompuestos, a leading producer of sustainable compounds in Europe, has developed a new bioplastic based on potato starch that will degrade ‘on the ground’ within four weeks. It joins the company’s Biokomp range of biodegradable resins made from different starches derived from corn, potato and various types of cereals.

Bitrez Ltd, Europe’s leading manufacture of specialist polymers and chemicals, is launching a new family of regulatory compliant bio-based resins for the composites industry at JEC World 2020.

BioBTX has successfully attracted the financing it needs to takes the first steps along the path towards the realisation of a commercial-scale plant to produce platform chemicals from waste plastics based on a fully circular and sustainable process. The new plant will represent an important asset for the north of the Netherlands.

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

Thailand is attracting billions of baht of investments in bioplastics from global and local players seizing the opportunities the country offers as a production hub for bio-based industries due to its abundant raw materials, existing value chain and supportive government policies, the Thailand Board of Investment said.

MarketResearch.biz is releasing a new, comprehensive report on “Bio-Based Construction Polymers Market 2020 || Industry Segment By product, application, and region, Regional Outlook, Market Demand, Latest Trends, Share & Revenue by Manufacturers, Company Profiles, Growth Forecasts – 2029”. The new report analyses the current market size and offers forecasts for the next 10 years of growth of this industry.

Since its invention, plastic has become central in our way of life. In the 1950s, 0.5 million tons of plastic was produced yearly, and this has rocketed to 300 million tons today. However, only 3% of it is recovered and the remaining 97% accumulates in landfills and the sea. Recent research by Austrian scientists from the Medical University of Vienna also found the presence of plastics in the human digestive system.

Braskem, Biowash and Greco & Guerreiro have announced plans to launch a new packaging solution for homecare products made from biobased plastics and post-consumer resin, a combination said to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. The new solution will be used for both the one and the five liter packs of the Brazilian company Biowash, a pioneer in the development of 100%-biodegradable natural homecare products.

Amsterdam-based renewable chemistry company Avantium, has named Bart Welten as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), tapping an executive with 30 years of experience in finance to replace Frank Roerink. Roerink announced in summer that he would be leaving his post at the end of the year.

Biotechnology company Circa Group has announced it is leading the consortium for new EU project ReSolute – a flagship Horizon 2020 project set to develop the first commercial plant to produce Cyrene a new, sustainably-sourced, safer alternative to traditional, fossil-based solvents.

Stora Enso and Sulapac are launching a renewable and biodegradable straw to combat the global problem of plastic waste. The straw has strong usability and works just like a traditional straw. The new straws are available to brands and consumers looking for more eco-friendly solutions.

Ford Motor Company and McDonald’s USA will soon be giving vehicles a caffeine boost by using part of a familiar staple in the morning routine, coffee beans, in vehicle parts such as headlamp housing.

Stora Enso is investing EUR 9 million to build a pilot facility for enabling the production of bio-based plastics to serve as a barrier layer in transparent packaging. The pilot plant will convert plant-based sugars into the renewable building block required to make PEF, a bio-based plastic, mainly targeting the food and beverage industry. The pilot plant will be located at Stora Enso's Langerbrugge Mill in Belgium.

Stora Enso, along with other members of CEPI, the European association representing the forest fiber and paper industry, are joining forces with companies across the value chain to drive the recycling of fiber-based packaging and collaboration in circular design and materials to enable positive change in circular economy.

A Dutch consortium led by Vertoro has been granted €1.2 million to investigate the potential of crude lignin oil as a platform for sustainable chemicals and materials. Biorizon co-initiator VITO is one of the consortium partners.

Tetra Pak, together with its supplier Braskem, has become the first company in the food and beverage industry to responsibly source plant-based polymers using the Bonsucro standards for sustainable sugar cane.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, based in California, USA, has awarded the Material Health Certificate GOLD level certification to Licocare RBW 102 Vita, Licocare RBW 106 Vita and Licocare RBW 300 Vita, bio-based lubricating and dispersing aids developed and produced by Clariant - a further confirmation of their excellent environmental profile and contribution to a circular economy for plastics.

Moving ahead with its strategy to advance the use of PEF in high-value applications, Avantium Renewable Polymers has announced plans to open an Avantium branch office in Japan.

Global specialty plastics provider Eastman and NB Coatings, a leader in paint on plastics for both domestic and transplant original equipment manufacturers, have developed a new solution for interior Class A painted surfaces with Trēva™ engineering bioplastic.

PolyOne has announced the launch of reSound™ OM thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), the latest addition to its sustainable solutions portfolio. These new formulations utilize between 40 and 50 percent bio-renewable content derived from sugarcane and offer hardness levels and performance comparable to standard TPEs.

Avantium has joined the Paper Bottle Project - an innovation community bringing together some of the world's leading players in materials, design and technology on the development of a sustainable paper bottle.