The trials, led by RECOUP, will take place at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to assess whether the materials can be reliably identified and sorted alongside conventional packaging.
The work will also examine the technical and economic case for the organic recycling of certified compostable packaging.
Richard Cham, technical director at RECOUP, said the waste sector needed “solid, real-world evidence” about how the growing range of materials entering the market behaves in sorting and recycling systems.
He commented: “This programme will generate that evidence, so the sector has the practical guidance it needs to handle these materials confidently.”
Helping bio-based products reach market
The trials form part of the second phase of the UK Bio-Based Solutions Network (BB-REG-NET), which will focus on developing practical tools, evidence and standards to support the commercialisation of bio-based chemicals and materials.
Funded through Innovate UK’s Regulatory Science and Innovation Networks programme, BB-REG-NET’s first phase focused on identifying the barriers facing the sector.
The new programme will instead work with regulators, policymakers, standards bodies and industry to develop and test solutions to these barriers.
Across nine work packages, the programme will produce tools and guidance intended to reduce the cost and complexity of bringing bio-based products to market in the UK.
The consortium is led by the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) and includes the University of Sheffield, Biorenewables Development Centre, RECOUP, BSI, Alder BioInsights, Perspective Economics, Twig Bio and Resource Media.
Nine work packages
BB-REG-NET will also develop an open evidence hub and expand the network, with the work ultimately feeding into a National Roadmap for Accelerating Adoption of Bio-based Solutions.
The programme will work with BSI to identify gaps in existing standards and improve guidance to better support innovation.
It will also develop sustainability assessment methods, including a pilot Material Sustainability Assessment Tool, and map the UK’s renewable carbon opportunity by identifying high-potential biomass feedstocks and commercial value chains.
An open-access, AI-enabled Regulatory Intelligence Platform will be developed to help businesses understand which regulations apply to their products and what evidence may be required to bring them to market.
UK bioeconomy
The UK bio-based chemicals and materials sector comprises more than 1,200 businesses, including around 1,100 SMEs.
According to the network, the sector generates more than £12.5 billion in annual revenue, contributes £5.1 billion in gross value added and supports approximately 20,300 jobs.
Innovate UK estimates that the UK bio-based chemicals sector could be worth more than £204bn annually by 2050.
However, BB-REG-NET said fragmented regulation, inconsistent interpretation of standards and limited market-pull mechanisms continue to restrict commercialisation.
Research carried out during the network’s first phase found that 56 government departments, agencies and public bodies are involved in bioeconomy regulation, with organisations often working to different priorities.
It also found that some innovative UK businesses are moving manufacturing overseas, including to the Netherlands, Sweden and Portugal, where scale-up support is more accessible.
Jen Vanderhoven, CEO of the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) and BB-REG-NET Project Lead, added: “UK bio-based businesses have enormous potential, but too often promising innovations face unnecessary barriers on the journey from development to market.
“This programme is about changing that, creating clearer regulatory pathways, stronger evidence, more consistent standards and practical tools that give businesses the confidence and support they need to commercialise and scale.
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