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Plantics is booster and participant of the BioBased Circular growth fund
The central government’s National Growth Fund of The Netherlands invests in the sustainable earning capacity of the Netherlands. This fund supports the ‘BioBased Circular’ programme, an initiative of the Top Sector Agri & Food and the Green Chemistry Platform. Meanwhile, 125 companies, NGOs and knowledge institutions have embraced the initiative. Plantics is one of the instigators and co-wrote the programme. Our CEO Wridzer Bakker is a member of the programme council.
The idea behind BioBased Circular is simple: stop pumping up carbon compounds from the earth’s atmosphere and put plants to work in a natural materials cycle. Because plants can absorb CO2 and convert it into natural carbon compounds. These are just as usable in the chemical industry as current fossil carbon compounds. As a result, the chemical (manufacturing) industry can become climate-neutral.
Radical transformation
By taking maximum recycling as a guideline in the design of materials, it is possible to store CO2 for the long term. This radically transforms the – currently polluting – industry into a CO2-neutral or even -negative operation. The required raw materials can be sourced from agri-food residues, prunings, roadside grass or specially cultivated crops, among others.
Different mindset
To achieve this, a number of proverbial hoops have to be jumped through. Research for this purpose is taking place within the BioBased Circular programme. Cooperation between the agrifood sector, forestry and the chemical industry is needed, as is the formation of new production chains. A different mindset of the parties involved and adjustments in laws and regulations are crucial for this. By assuming reuse as early as the development of new materials, production can become circular.
338 million euros
BioBased Circular adds 1.5 to 3.5 billion euros to the Gross National Product of The Netherlands, in the agrifood, forestry, recycling and chemical industries, The number of jobs is expected to increase by 2,500 to 8,300. Therefore, the Dutch government is contributing 338 million euros from the National Growth Fund. Of this, 102 million euros are available for phase 1 (2024 to 2026), while 236 million euros have been set aside for phase 2 (2027 to 2032).
Read more about BioBased Circular on the website of the National Growth Fund and/or contact Plantics.