Response to DEFRA call for evidence

RECOUP’s response to DEFRA call for evidence: Review of Pro-Oxidant Additive Containing (PAC) plastics, commonly referred to as ‘oxo-degradable’ or ‘oxo-biodegradable’ plastics. February 2024.

Read the response here.

Discover 20 Breakthrough Start-Ups at Rethinking Materials this May.

Rethinking Materials is the only international event connecting ready-to-scale solutions with commercial partners including global CPG brands, investors and materials producers.

This May 14-15 the summit returns to London to showcase breakthrough new materials and drop-in technologies helping decarbonise supply chains, including innovations in renewable chemicals, biofabricated fibres, waste valorisation, carbon capture, AI and many more.

Attracting a multi-industry audience of C-Suite and Director-level decision makers including CEOs, Heads of Innovation, R&D, and Investment, the summit sets out to unite material innovation leaders to develop actionable insights for the future.

Making up part of the main agenda, the Technology Showcases are a fast-paced session giving early to mid-stage companies the opportunity to explain their tech or solution to an C-Suite audience of brands, retailers, producers, manufacturers, and investors. After pitching, they will be interviewed on-stage by a prestigious panel of industry specialists looking to take a deeper dive into their offering. Start-ups pitching on stage include:

• Algreen has invented the worlds’ first viable, 100% biobased polyurethane solutions.
• BioBond Adhesives develops bio-based adhesives and coatings to replace petroleum-based materials in various applications, including the packaging, electronics, construction, and automotive industries.
• Biomr uses the latest advances in ML to develop new high-performance specialty chemicals, based on abundant natural waste feedstocks.
• Cauldron Ferm is unlocking the potential of precision fermentation by rapidly deploying manufacturing capacity at a low cost.
• DisSolves is commercialising a disruptive, patented technology for creating edible pods and films.
• Gulsine is the only venture that provides a materials informatics platform to autonomously predict product shelf life without the need of years of stability tests.
• Kuori is an innovative Swiss Cleantech company committed to transitioning to a post-oil economy by transforming consumer plastics through a circular economy approach.
• OXCCU uses CO₂ and renewable energy to make fuels, chemicals and plastics.
• TerraSafe is disrupting the bio-based packaging space by combining multiple IP portfolios from top tier universities around the United States to create new commercial platforms.
• TextRe specializes in transforming mixed textile waste into sustainable engineered compounds, offering an alternative to high CO2 footprint virgin plastic polymers.
• TômTex makes revolutionary bio-based materials that are developed in collaboration with nature and 100% naturally biodegradable.
• Werewool are developing the next generation of biodegradable performance textile fibres with DNA-programmed colour and functional properties.

These showcasing start-ups have been carefully selected by material innovation specialists, to ensure only the most pioneering, dynamic tech is being spotlighted at the summit. A special thanks to the selection jury: Efrat Friedland, Positive Plastics; Luc des Vallières, Source Green; Sonalie Figueiras, Green Queen; Justin Guest, Archipelago Ventures; Johanna Wiese, Mistletoe; and Sagar Tandon, Beyond Impact.

The summit also offers the opportunity to to meet start-ups face-to-face, learn about their innovations first hand and ask questions directly to the entrepreneurs in the Start-Up Exhibition. Business leaders can book in 1-1 meetings and discover the next big solution that will future-proof their companies. The following start-ups will be in the exhibition:Day1Lab specialises in crafting plastic alternatives (bags and flexible packaging) using starch-based carbohydrate materials.

• FlexSea manufactures nature compostable, plug and play bioplastics derived from Seaweed.
• Keiryo develops a processing technology that reduces the manufacturing cost and environmental footprint of polymer-based articles.
• Kelpi’s seaweed-derived material is a sustainable alternative to fossil-fuel based plastic packaging and is fully compostable, marine-safe, and low carbon.
• Originnovation develops a unique technology that utilises thermal injection moulding technology to manufacture 100% food-grade mixture material into functional disposable utensils.
• Prescience Insilico Pvt Ltd. revolutionises research and innovation across multiple industries through computational R&D, enhancing materials optimisation and formulation predictions.
• Algenesis are on a mission to help eliminate plastic waste and microplastics caused by traditional petrochemical based materials. They will be showcasing Soleic branded Urethanes are plant based, compostable and marine degradable, encompassing PU foam technologies and Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) polymers.
• Zerocircle is a material science company that creates pioneering ocean-degradable plastic alternatives as a drop-in solution which decomposes naturally in any mismanaged environment without leaving a trace of microplastics.

…as well as Biobond Adhesives, Dissolves, and TerraSafe Materials which are presenting during the Technology Showcases.

Two days of thought-leadership debate, group discussions, product demonstrations, start-up pitches, targeted 1-1 meetings and a busy exhibition make this a stand-out event for technology discovery and investment.

Key areas for discussion include scale-up investment, navigating hype cycles, AI-driven solutions, sustainable feedstocks, the regulatory landscape, regenerative and novel materials, recyclability, performance, designing out waste and transiting from plastic to paper in the pursuit of sustainability.

Find out more on the Rethinking Materials website: www.rethinkingmaterials.com

Get in touch: rachel.myall@rethinkevents.com

Bring it Back Project has been Shortlisted for UK Business Green Awards 2024!

We’re thrilled to announce that Bring it Back project has been shortlisted for Circular Economy Project of the Year at the UK BusinessGreen Awards 2024!

RECOUP and PECT teams worked together to introduce plastic reusable packaging to various local communities. Over 4000 single-use packaging was saved throughout the pilot from being discarded across nine different Peterborough locations!

Thank you to all project partners (The University of Sheffield, Kakadu Creative, Rich Beach), our pilot sites (Nene Park Trust/ Meadow Brown Restaurants, West Raven Community Cafe, Stuart House Peterborough, St John Fisher School, Oundle School and Cafes)  and for the funding received from Hubbub and Starbucks to make this trial possible.