With the development of a Product Information list, the project aims at developing a European product information database of bio-based products that could be used for public procurement (B2P) and communication among producers of bio-based materials (B2B). The database should also be used to promote the uptake of bio-based products in consumer markets (B2C).
The objective was to assess the suitability of ecolabel criteria for bio-based products, or in other words, to find out whether the existing
criteria of ecolabels can be applied to bio-based products, whether there are conflicts of harmonization and whether additional criteria can or have to be added in order to adequately label bio-based products. The task concluded that yes, indeed, it was possible to design the criteria of a multi-issue ecolabel in a way that they give credit to the advantages of bio-based products and provide them in an advantage (see D7.3). It was decided not to design a completely new label, but to suggest changes to the existing EU Ecolabel.
One of the Open-Bio work packages dealt with the question, whether the EU Ecolabel can be extended to explicitly cover bio-based products, and if yes, how. The objective was to assess the suitability of ecolabel criteria for bio-based products, or in other words, to find out whether the existing criteria of ecolabels can be applied to bio-based products, whether there are conflicts of harmonization and whether additional criteria can or have to be added in order to adequately label bio-based products.
The most important findings of this research is written in this article.
This report contains a review of existing standards on anaerobic digestion and biogasification of (bio-based) products and the development of a horizontal test methodology, testing scheme and acceptance criteria for (bio-based) products to be compatible with biogasification as end-of-life option. Also an evaluation of benefits and shortcomings with a specific focus on products and components most likely to end up in gasification plants, i.e. bio-based plastics and bio-based packaging materials.
This research has not been limited to Europe, but was carried out on a worldwide basis.
The objective of task 6.2 “Validation of decentralized compostability test standards” of the Open-Bio project is the development of a test scheme to evaluate if bio-based products can be disposed in a home composting system without having a negative impact on the produced compost. This implies that no visual contaminants, toxic residuals and/or not-biodegradable constituents may remain present in the compost. This work is a follow-up of work carried out earlier in the project (Deliverable 6.3 “Review on decentralized composting” and Deliverable 6.4 “Draft standard on decentralized composting”).
OPEN-BIO is a research project funded by the European Commission. One part of the research is the development of test methods for the bio-degradation of bio-based plastic material under marine conditions. This video gives a short summary about the in-situ experiments around the Island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea.
Report on functionality testing for demonstrating the functionality of novel Bio-based Products. For this research, 7 key product categories were selected for testing;
1. Packaging Films
2. Disposable cups & plates
3. WPC decking
4. Pre manufactured components/insulation
5. Mulch films
6. Adhesives and binders
7. Bio-solvents
Key mechanical properties, key chemical/thermal parameters and additional functionalities that ensure the functionality of the bio-based project over its entire product life were defined. This implies testing before and after use or before and after ageing.
Additionally, specific characteristics of the bio-based products that differ from existing petrochemical products were addressed.
In each product category commercially available bio-based products have been selected for functionality testing.
This concerns the development of complete bio-based content methodologies using stable isotopes and isoscapes.
The development of automation techniques for sample preparation and investigation into isotope measurement techniques for direct bio-based content analysis are included, while the sample preparation automation methodologies need to build upon the conclusions of the
assessment from KBBPPS. The assessment includes examples of the use for bio-solvents, bio-lubricants, bio-plastics and bio-surfactants. The original idea was to prepare an overview of all stable isotopes in relation to biomass and fossil content; stable isotope measurements
together with isoscapes could thus be used in order to define sustainability of bio-based products. As that appeared to be difficult, a database for feedstocks and products, with isotopes, fingerprint and sustainability aspects seemed neither interesting for the bio-based products’ market nor presenting additional value to the already existing information publicly available. The project partners felt that it should be a good follow-up to develop a more generic report on how the isotopes could be used.
This deliverable presents the different specifications of direct automation based on isotopic methods, analytical combinations, precision and upcoming improvement in this field.
This report identifies and explores sustainability issues relevant for bio-based products. It investigates what lessons can be learned from biomass sustainability schemes for bioenergy and biofuels and what topics not currently covered in biomass sustainability schemes (such as cascading use, ILUC and carbon storage in products) mean for bio-based products.