The northern region of the Netherlands is the region where green chemistry is most clearly anchored in society. This region sees agrarian cooperations, knowledge institutes, chemical manufacturers, energy companies and the government working together in a unique way to make the chemical industry more sustainable and also to promote economic development. This is the area of Chemport Europe.

3D printing sounds like the perfect technology to produce complex objects as tailored single units; from machine components to implants for damaged tissue. By using the compostable biobased plastic PLA, this process also becomes sustainable. PLA, or poly(lactide), is synthesised from the natural monomer lactic acid. That sounds perfect, but such objects often retain their shape less well or are less strong mechanically, whilst design freedom is one of the strengths of 3D printing. Why is that?

The development of the biobased economy should go up a notch. Plastic soup, the essential CO2 reduction, scarcity of raw materials, but also more stringent legislation make it necessary to have a broad discussion about accelerating the greening of our society.