When the Bio-based Industries Consortium was launched in 2012, marine and aquatic biomass was barely discussed. Now, ten years later, BBI JU has 11 awarded projects running in this field with a total budget of €58 million. It is a sign that the value of the blue bioeconomy is being recognised more and more widely.

“This is the beginning of a long-term cooperation with our eastern neighbours.” This is how Freek van Eijk (vice chairman Circular Biobased Delta) summed up the outcome of last week’s cross-border event on chemical recycling.

PHAs are special biopolymers. Strictly speaking, we may not call them bioplastics, because this material is not synthetic, but is made by micro-organisms as a reserve food. In a similar way to how people store fat when they eat too much. But unlike fat, PHAs can be used in the production of plastic. The advantage of this is that they are completely biodegradable. After use, they are simply eaten again by bacteria.