White biotech part of chemical industry's competitiveness and sustainability plans

29-Nov-2005

Stakeholders of the Technology Platform on Sustainable Chemistry (SusChem) unveiled a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and three visionary scenarios for innovation in chemistry including one using industrial biotechnology. EuropaBio backs the role that industrial or white biotechnology can play in helping the chemical industry meet the challenges of next 20 years in one of Europe's most important industrial sectors. The biotechnology sector can bring its knowledge of biology and systems to manufacture, using biological processes, products like bioplastics, biomaterials, bioenergy, bringing environmental and economic gains.

The chemical industry is a major employer and a considerable player in the European economy. That biotechnology is contributing to the competitiveness of this sector in sustaining growth and jobs is important. The biotechnology sector itself employs close on 100, 000 people in core biotech companies.

The new research agenda for the chemical industry is part of SusChem - a joint initiative of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) and the European Biotechnology Industry Association (EuropaBio) and is supported by the European Commission. SusChem aims to contribute to successful, competitive, sustainable EU chemical and associated industries with global business leadership based on technology excellence.

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