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. …
To achieve a circular economy, it is important to increase the amount of recycled plastic waste. Positive: this quantity is increasing. Less positive: it is not rising fast enough. The main point of the EU’s waste policy is to follow circular principles. Recycling is one of the main ways to reduce the consumption of primary …
Together with Vincent Voet of NHL Stenden Lectureship of Sustainable Plastics, we are working on the design of a research project on circular 3D printer ink. Within this research project, the focus is on recyclable photopolymer resins made from biobased sources for use in 3D Printing and other thermosetting applications. These photosensitive resins are suitable …
This symposium is intended for farmers, municipal and provincial policy makers, nature organizations and water authorities. In cooperation with farmer Pieter van der Valk, the Ministry of I&W and Wageningen University, the intermediate state of affairs is taken with regard to composting in the region. In addition to plenary sessions, workshops will provide handouts to …
Even more sustainable kilometers! Since the end of 2021 we have been driving this sleek Renault Zoë. And even better, the Zoë is also charged by the 800 solar panels on the roof of Jansen&Heuning – bulk handling systems! At the end of this year we will share our experiences and also give insight in …
Processability In the first part of the series on the processing of biobased plastics we gave a general introduction into the current market and the common perceptions in the plastics industry. To further our understanding of the processing of biobased plastics, we need to work with some general considerations that are applicable to plastic processing …
Life Cycle thinking When talking about a life cycle of a product or service, it means that all the preceding processes, from the extraction of materials, the production, its use and even the end of its use (end of life of the product used) is taken into consideration. During the life cycle, inputs are provided …