Bio-based plastics can help reduce the European packaging sector’s dependence on fossil resources, new analysis has found.
The study, conducted by research and consultancy organisation Nova-Institute, was commissioned by the European Commission to provide comprehensive analysis of the role of bio-based feedstocks in plastics packaging under the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
The PPWR sets ambitious targets for recycled content in plastics packaging, but the role of bio-based feedstocks and how they can contribute to defossilisation is not yet fully defined, creating a critical gap in the policy framework, argued Nova-Institute.
Currently, plastics remain over 99 per cent fossil-based, yet the analysis discovered that 17 bio-based polymers are commercially available – however, they represent less than 1 per cent of the global plastics market and account for just 4 to 5 per cent of biogenic carbon in the EU chemical sector.
Production capacity is concentrated in Asia (55 per cent), followed by North America (17 per cent) and the EU27+3 (14 per cent).
Greenhouse gas reduction
Despite their limited market share, there are no fundamental technical barriers to using bio-based polymers in packaging – which offer a 30 to 70 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with fossil-based alternatives, the report suggested.
The study acknowledged that recycling is essential but cautioned that it alone could not provide sufficient non-fossil carbon as a feedstock to meet demand and long-term climate targets.
Bio-based feedstocks, it claimed, could play a complementary role by introducing new renewable carbon into the system, reducing dependence on fossil resources.
Nonetheless, the report warned that production scale-up remained a key challenge due to high production costs, limited infrastructure and uneven policy support compared with biofuels.
It called for targeted measures, including binding targets for bio-based content, harmonised sustainability criteria, and investments in recycling and processing infrastructure, to address these barriers.
Defossilisation journey
“For more than 30 years, we have been working on defossilising the chemicals and materials sector,” explained Michael Carus, founder and senior advisor of the Nova-Institute.
“Our analysis shows that a climate-neutral packaging sector will require a balanced mix of bio-based carbon, carbon dioxide utilisation and recycling. When it comes to packaging, this means increasing both the share of bio-based content and the use of recycled materials.
“Only by combining these approaches can we fully keep carbon in the loop and successfully transition from fossil to renewable carbon.”
Dr Lars Börger, chief executive of Nova-Institute, added: “We welcome that the European Commission has chosen to draw on independent scientific advice from Nova-Institute. In complex transformation processes, policy needs an unbiased view of the best available scientific evidence.
“This is what makes Europe strong, and it is also what Nova stands for.”
The European Commission study can be read in full here.
