Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method to evaluate the environmental impacts of a product, process or activity over its entire life cycle. This includes the extraction of raw materials, the production of the product, its distribution, its use and its disposal phase. LCA is a holistic approach that considers all environmental impacts of a …
We are delighted to announce that the 3CRA consortium may start receiving its requested MOOI grant of over 3 million euros! The 3CRA consortium, which stands for Closing Carbon Cycles with Renewable Amines, chaired by Klaas Zijlstra and Andre Heeres, was assessed as innovative for the Dutch market and society, with a high degree of …
Biobased materials are made from renewable raw materials. Some examples of these renewable raw materials are starch, sugar, cellulose, lactic acid, proteins or micro-organisms. These raw materials are extracted from maize, beet, sugar cane, wood, potato, tapioca root or castor nuts, for example. Like products produced using fossil fuels, bio-based products also have what is …
Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is an integrated processing technique that unlocks the ability to design and fabricate objects in a parallel operation. This flexibility of material and shape is something that is simply out of reach for traditional manufacturing techniques. An added benefit is the significant reduction in process related waste materials, due …
Our team likes to walk during lunch breaks. When doing so, we unfortunately encounter litter all too often. But how much litter do colleagues actually encounter during their walk? And what type of litter is found? To answer that, we dedicated this month as ”No-Waste-November”, a month in which we make an extra effort to …
From 2024, it will become mandatory in the EU for all listed companies and large corporations to report on sustainability policies and performance according to the “European Corporate Sustainability Directive” (CRSD). From 2025, this will also apply to large companies not currently covered by the NFRD. In addition, listed SMEs, insurance companies and credit institutions …
What do civilians, fertilizer, animal feed, packaging, fuel, clothing and a way to remove CO2 from the air have in common? As crazy as it may sound, seaweed is the common factor here. 98 percent of our food production comes from the land. As much as 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is made up …
Recent figures from the OECD show that plastic pollution is growing relentlessly, since waste management and recycling is falling short. They state that the world is producing twice as much plastic waste as two decades ago, whereof the bulk is ending up in landfills, getting incinerated or leaks into the environment. Only 9% (!) is …
Current Ecodesign guidelines Ecodesign, in short, is the development of an environmentally friendly product, which must consume less energy, emit fewer pollutants and be suitable for recycling. According to 2018 data from the European Parliament, only a few percent of rare metals in cell phones are recycled and about 80 percent of environmental pollution is …
We desperately need the participation of the business community in the transition to a circular economy, because much of the practical implementation lies with companies. However, it is currently very difficult for companies to start a circular project. Innovative projects that are desirable in a circular economy are thereby confronted by several interdisciplinary challenges: think …
Last April, Ecoras gave a two-part basic LCA training course at the Biosintrum for NHL-Stenden’s Sustainable Plastics and Circular Plastics professorships. Here, a two-part basic training on LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) was given. LCA is a very fast growing topic within the sustainability transition. The research groups at NHL-Stenden that work on sustainable materials and …
Plastics are an essential part of our daily lives. Because of this, about 30 million tonnes of plastic waste is collected every year in Europe. Roughly 85% of this is incinerated, exported or sent to a landfill. This is not only a waste of our precious resources, but it also contributes heavily to our global …
In the previous parts of this series, we have introduced a basic understanding of the market of bioplastics and subsquently illustrated the processing of a variety of plastics that are currently available in said market. Earlier we covered one of the most widely available plastics, namely PLA, and now we thread upon a similarly widely …
Our colleague Sven Jurgens, the innovation-booster ”Biomass” at Circular Friesland gives a pitch about serious shit! Human poop is a lost link in the food chain, while you can also see it as useful fertiliser: just like in the past. Donation to the food cycle – April 1st Frisian administrators were queuing up for a …
The EU’s new CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) aims to make organisations more competitive and resilient while at the same time stimulating a more holistic sustainability-mindset. The CSRD was published by the European Commission in mid-2021 and will replace the current NFRD (Non-Financial Reporting Directive) starting on the 1st of January 2024. The NFRD explains …
Source: Chemport Europe, maart 2022 The Northern Netherlands is becoming increasingly important for the green chemistry industry. Under the name Chemport Europe, developments follow in rapid succession. Sustainable factories, pioneering schools and facilitating governments are building unique value chains, where far-reaching cooperation is the key. Next month Avantium will start building the world’s first commercial …
In the previous parts of this series, we introduced the current market of bioplastics, the generally available methods of processing and a deep dive into the processing characteristics of one of the most widely available polymers: PLA. We will continue this trend by providing in depth information about PHA, which is a biodegradable polymer with …
In the previous two parts of this series, we introduced the current market of bioplastics and the generally available methods of processing. This information provides a concrete basis for a deep dive into the processing characteristics of specific bioplastics, such as PLA. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a thermoplastic polyester that is biodegradable under certain circumstances. …