Can Bio-Based Polymers be truly circular? Join the BIOPOLY Cluster webinar on 28 October
Replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable ones is only the first step.
A bio-based polymer that cannot be recycled, reused or managed responsibly at end of life solves one problem while leaving another open. The real challenge is designing materials that are circular from the outset, without sacrificing the performance industry depends on.
This is the focus of the next BIOPOLY Cluster webinar, “Designing circular bio-based polymers: recycling, reuse and end of life”, taking place online on Wednesday 28 October 2026, from 14:00 to 15:30 CET.
Circularity across the whole development chain
The webinar will examine how circularity principles can be built into every stage of bio-based polymer development: from feedstock selection and material design, through recycling strategies, to end-of-life options. Researchers from three EU-funded projects, POLYMERS-5B, POLYMEER and FURIOUS, will share current results, discuss the technological barriers still to be overcome, and highlight where the most promising opportunities lie.
The programme covers complementary angles on the topic. AIMPLAS will present the POLYMEER perspective on chemical recycling of bio-based polymers. For POLYMERS-5B, LSIWC will address one of the toughest questions in the field: how to reprocess bio-based thermosets, materials whose crosslinked structure makes them notoriously difficult to recycle. The University of Bologna will close the technical sessions with FURIOUS’s approach to ecodesign for circularity.
The session will also introduce FURIOUS, the newest project to join the BIOPOLY Cluster, before all speakers come together for a panel discussion on the question at the heart of the event: can bio-based polymers be truly circular?
Agenda
| Time | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 14:00–14:02 | Welcome and introduction: BIOPOLY Cluster update and webinar agenda | Arantxa Iborra, Zabala |
| 14:02–14:07 | CBE JU | |
| 14:07–14:15 | Meet FURIOUS, the newest member of the BIOPOLY Cluster | Debora Puglia, FURIOUS coordinator |
| 14:15–14:30 | POLYMEER perspective: Chemical recycling of bio-based polymers | Irene Martín Estellés, AIMPLAS |
| 14:30–14:45 | POLYMERS-5B perspective: Challenges in reprocessing bio-based thermosets | Mikelis Kirpluks, LSIWC |
| 14:45–15:00 | FURIOUS perspective: Ecodesign for circularity | Nadia Lotti, UNIBO |
| 15:00–15:20 | Panel discussion: Can bio-based polymers be truly circular? | All speakers |
| 15:20–15:30 | Q&A and closure | Moderator and speakers |
Who should attend
The webinar is aimed at researchers, industry professionals, policymakers and anyone working on sustainable materials who wants a clear, up-to-date view of where circular bio-based polymers stand today and what it will take to bring them to market.
Participation is free. Register here!
