Unlock the potential of bio-based and biodegradable plastics: challenges to be addressed

In June 2022, BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE organized a successful workshop with 10 Horizon Europe projects and 9 EU policy officers in the field of bio-based and biodegradable plastics to discuss policy recommendations. From the results of this workshop, a shared online document was produced posing and answering important policy and research questions from the projects as well as the policy officers. Simultaneously in June, Glaukos project organized the Glaukos Stakeholder Lab workshop “Tackling microplastics pollution: can biodegradable textile and coating be a solution?”.

From these activities, a collaboration between the two projects was established, leading to the organisation of one workshop followed by an online event on policy. The first workshop took place online on 3rd November under the title “Unlock the potential of bio-based and biodegradable plastics: challenges to be addressed”.
After a short introduction of the Glaukos and BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE projects, a discussion round with 4 topics with 4 questions each was opened, to collect the participants’ inputs on relevant bio-based plastics and policy topics. The main topics were LCA of bio-based vs conventional plastics, end-of-life options, raising awareness, stakeholder engagement, collaboration and coordination and projects’ contribution to EU policies. Inputs were collected using MIRO. In total, over 70 active participants took part in the workshop, representing 49 relevant EU projects.

The results from the workshop will be used a as a basis for an open discussion with the EU policy officers who will join for the up-coming 7th EBRN online event on 23rd November. The event will bring together around 15 EU policy officers and 49 projects to discuss how to close the gaps and to facilitate information flow between projects and the policy makers, to facilitate uptake of valuable research into policy decisions.