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Enhanced role envisaged for the bio-based industries under the EU’s new Circular Economy Action Plan - Bio-based News -

The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), Europe’s leading industry association putting innovation, circularity and sustainability at the heart of the European bioeconomy, applauded the publication of the European Commission’s new Circular Economy Action Plan.

“The Circular Economy Action Plan demonstrates the core role for the bio-based sector in the implementation of the EU’s Green Deal” says Dirk Carrez, BIC Executive Director. “The bio-based solutions we provide pave the way for a bio-based society constructed on the foundations of circularity and sustainability and not finite, fossil-based resources.”

The bio-based industries, already recognised as pioneers in providing sustainable and circular solutions, stands ready to assist the European Commission in achieving the Action Plan’s objectives across several policy areas.

For instance, the sector is already actively putting alternative bio-based and bio-degradable products on the market. The proposed EU Strategy for Textiles also presents opportunities for Europe’s flourishing bio-based textiles sector, which is based on using sustainably sourced biomaterials such as wood cellulose, biobased fibers and other sustainable alternatives.

At the same time, while the bio-based industries are already proactively valorising industry’s side and residual streams, the sector also enables the valorisation of bio-waste by transforming it into bio-based products and materials.

The realisation of the next public-private partnership for the bio-based industries – ‘Circular Bio-based Europe’ – and the effective implementation of the EU’s Bioeconomy Strategy will, nonetheless, be crucial for guaranteeing the bio-based industries proactive role in providing these sustainable, bio-based solutions that make the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan truly circular.

About BICBIC is the private partner in the €3.7 billion public-private partnership with the EU – the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU). Its membership includes 200+ industry members covering the whole value chain, from primary production to the market, across multiple and diverse sectors including agriculture & agri-food, aquaculture & marine, chemicals and materials, including bioplastics, forestry and pulp & paper, market sectors, technology providers and waste management & treatment. As part of BIC’s efforts to provide bio-based solutions to valorising waste, BIC will shortly release a joint report with Zero Waste Europe on the availability of bio-waste across Europe.

Source: Bio-Based Industries Consortium, press release, 2020-03-12.

Publication date: 19/03/2020

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