The “Bio-based chemicals” cluster consists of sector groups that discuss the conditions to boost the development of sustainable bio-based chemical industries in Europe.
Bio-based chemicals are chemical products that are wholly or partly derived from materials of biological origin (for example plants, algae, crops, trees, marine organisms, biological waste …).
These bio-based chemicals are used in a multitude of applications, such as food, feed, plastics, paints, adhesives, fuels and energy, lubricants, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, detergents, cleaning products and many more.
Several bio-based chemicals have the potential to be used instead of fossil resources (drop-in bio-based chemicals), while others are likely to deliver completely new features and performances (dedicated bio-based chemicals).
Irrespective of their end-use, bio-based chemicals must perform equally to, if not better than, fossil-based chemicals to get market acceptance and comply with the principles of a circular economy, while demonstrating a reduced environmental and, particularly, climate impact.
To achieve the development of bio-based chemicals in Europe, several conditions must be met:
This can only happen in a stable and predictable policy context.