The bioeconomy is a hot topic these days, right up at the top of policy agendas. It involves using renewable natural resources as a raw material. The circular bioeconomy introduces circularity into this concept: using what would otherwise be thrown away, using spent biological resources to regenerate ecosystems and minimising waste.

The ECESP website has a good selection of circular bioeconomy-themed content. This series will shine a spotlight on it.

Circular bioeconomy concept: bioplastic from organic waste

BE O Lifestyle wants to speed up the transition from oil-based plastic to bioplastic by making attractive, useful lifestyle products made from bioplastic.

After investing four years in research and two years in product development, they have proven that there is a different and more sustainable way to make plastic. They currently have two types of bioplastic, made from waste organic materials:

• They make water bottles from sugar cane residue. More specifically, it is made from the bio liquid which is one of two by-products of sugar production. The moisture is removed from the liquid and the resulting bio granules are used to make the bottles.
• They also make coffee cups from used vegetable oils. The oils are collected from catering establishments, filtered and converted into a bio liquid and then into bio granules. The granules are used to make BE O cups.

As well as being bio-based, BE O bottles and cups are durable, repairable (you can buy spare parts) and 100% recyclable.

In 10 years' time, BE O Lifestyle plans to have expanded its range of products and materials and to have established a BE O factory (which will be CO₂-neutral).

Results

• Since its launch in April 2019, the company has won several awards (Green Product Award, Promz Audience Prize) and been nominated for various innovation prizes.
• BE O has also partnered with Trees for the Future, an organisation which plants a tree for every bottle sold. On average, a tree absorbs 15.6 kg of CO₂ each year. This has a significant positive impact on the carbon footprint of the BE O bottle.
• The bottles' carbon footprint is negative, as established by regular lifecycle assessments: sum of emissions during the production process minus the 500 g of CO₂ absorbed by the sugarcane while it was growing minus another 15.6 kg of CO₂ every year for each tree that is planted.