Recycling raw materials from carpet waste

One focus of the German sustainability strategy is the optimal use of raw materials in the sense of the circular economy. This includes the recovery of plastics made from fossil raw materials such as polypropylene (PP). Polypropylene contains the finite resource petroleum and is the second most important plastic of all. It is used primarily for packaging, but also in electronics and automotive engineering. However, PP is also a component of products such as carpets, which are made of composite materials and are difficult to recycle.

Darmstadt-based textile start-up scores in PlanB start-up competition

On June 23, 2021, Sebastian Seibert and Louisa Wenkemann won the fourth edition of the start-up competition "PlanB - Biobased.Business.Bavaria" with their young company "nakt" from Darmstadt. They convinced the jury with a functionalized fiber made from green waste. "nakt" has produced a reusable makeup wipe from it as its first application.

With digital sensors to healthier plants

When a crop shows symptoms of pest infestation or nutrient deficiencies, it is often too late to prevent yield losses. However, the earlier a problem is detected, the more effectively farmers can intervene. Digital sensors can be an important tool for this. The "FarmerSpace" research project is investigating which methods are suitable, what they can do, and also how they can interact. The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is funding the project from February 2020 to February 2023.

Mulching with hybrid paper

From its invention around 2,000 years ago in China to today's high-tech material, paper production has come a long way. There are now around 3,000 types of paper - and yet there is no suitable solution for all needs. This is the case, for example, when it comes to replacing mineral oil-based plastics. The "New Hybrid Paper" (NewHyPe) research project has set itself the goal of finding such a solution for two applications at once.

A bio-based wood protection against fire

Building with wood is trendy and sustainable. But the popular material has one drawback: It is inherently flammable. However, conventional fire-retardant coatings are rarely environmentally friendly because they are mostly made from fossil raw materials. Nature is now becoming the inspiration for the development of a biobased fire-retardant coating for wooden buildings.

Bioeconomy ship on tour again

Since the beginning of June, it's been time to cast off again for the hands-on exhibition on the bioeconomy aboard the MS Wissenschaft (MS Science). Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the converted cargo ship will stop at a total of 30 locations in Germany and Austria between now and October 26. After an eight-month break, the ship dropped anchor in Hamburg on June 5 as the first stop on the second tour. After Glückstadt and Rendsburg, the exhibition ship will also call at Kiel and Hildesheim in June.

How bio-based products are transforming the economy

The transformation to a biobased economy is in full swing. Start-ups, but also established large corporations, are increasingly producing biobased products using new, often biotechnological production processes. The economic development agency of the German state of Hesse therefore organized the online conference "Biofabrik" on May 25 and 26, 2021, at which experts from business and science presented current developments.