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Friday, 05 March 2010

New ETC working paper online: Use of renewable raw materials with special emphasis on chemical industry

Read the full ETC Working Paper No 1/2010 Use of renewable raw materials with special emphasis on chemical industry.

To meet the challenges of climate change and depletion of non-renewable resources, which is both an ambitious task for politics and civil society, we are forced to convert our fossil based economy into an innovative biobased economy and develop sustainable technologies and renewable product innovations. RRM as e.g. wood, plant oils or starch, produced and used in a sustainable manner, can contribute tackling these challenges. The European Environment Agency wants to support the sustainable use of natural resources and further develop sustainable consumption and production patterns in the production sector. A broader use of renewable raw materials (RRM) and the substitution of fossil based materials and products by RRM could be an important step to that goal. RRM as a feedstock for the industrial production of materials, chemicals and other biobased products can save fossil resources and reduce negative impacts on the environment. Further, it can also be a strong driving force for innovation, as RRM are the only current alternative source of carbon to crude oil for the production of chemical products. To support the EEA’s efforts the ETC/SCP has prepared a working paper that gives a comprehensive overview on the sources, current uses, and environmental and economical impacts of the use of RRM in the chemical industry.