EU-funded project BioReCer increasing acceptance of waste-based feedstocks

In Germany, European bioeconomy emphasises the valorisation and sustainable use of biological resources. With increasing awareness of climate change and environmental degradation, the transition to a bio-based economy is seen as a crucial step towards sustainability. Biological residues and waste, including food waste, organic municipal waste and by-products from forestry, agriculture and fishery can significantly contribute to the EU’s green transition, which is expected to deliver substantial environmental and economic benefits.

Biological waste is often viewed as a burden and incinerated or discarded although it holds potential as renewable resource to substitute fossil feedstock. However, insufficient certification of biological feedstock and value chains hampers its industrial use.

In order to increase the acceptance of feedstock and products based on biological waste both by the industry and consumers, the EU-funded project BioReCer (Biological Resources Certifications Schemes) aims to strengthen current certification schemes. This will ensure applicability at EU and global scale. 

Since its launch in September 2022, BioReCer has already achieved several milestones on the road to a competitive, independent and sustainable EU bioeconomy. Now that the project has entered its final phase, the current project results and upcoming insights by bioeconomy experts will be used to develop guidelines for existing certification schemes by including new criteria for certifying the sustainability, origin and traceability of biological resources from waste to product (e.g. bio-plastics, fertilisers, nutraceuticals).