It is impossible to imagine everyday life without plastic. However, the production and disposal of plastics is increasingly polluting the environment because they consist largely of petroleum and are difficult to break down. The bioeconomy therefore focuses on bioplastics that consist of renewable raw materials or residual and waste materials. Producing bioplastics requires by no means only state-of-the-art technologies and processes. The ingredients for an environmentally friendly plastic can also be found in every household.

Sandalwood oil is usually extracted from the wood and roots of the white sandalwood tree. It grows mainly in tropical regions like India and needs 30 years to reach full ripeness. But the plant is threatened by massive overexploitation and is already on the Red List of the World Conservation Union. With Santalol, BASF and Isobionics are now launching an alternative to sandalwood oil.

Nature's biodiversity harbors an almost immeasurable treasure of biologically active substances that can be of benefit to humans. A well-known example is the antibiotic penicillin, which is extracted from the mold Penicillium chrysogenum. Less known is the antibiotic Erogorgiaene. It is produced in small quantities by the horn coral Antillogorgia elisabethae. A team from the TU Munich has now succeeded with international partners in producing this active ingredient in bacteria.