BB-REG-NET was launched on 2 December 2024 after receiving an initial grant of £474,135 from Innovate UK.
It aims to bring together stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of “sustainable chemicals and materials” in the UK market.
The network was launched following a six-month “discovery period” that engaged with over 180 individuals and 100 organisations to establish the barriers preventing wider adoption of sustainable chemicals and materials in the UK market.
The network is now in an “implementation phase” with the first major deliverables expected soon.
Dr Jen Vanderhoven, chief operating officer at BBIA and project lead for BB-REG-NET, said: “The development of a regulatory science network for bio-based and biodegradable materials is crucial to overcoming existing barriers to their widespread adoption.
“Current challenges include inconsistent policy and regulatory frameworks, standardisation challenges, and consumer confusion. These issues hinder innovation and market acceptance, placing bio-based chemicals and materials at a disadvantage compared to fossil-based incumbents.”
It is now one of 11 new networks to receive further funding through the government’s innovation agency. The investment programme was set up to advance regulatory science and innovation across the UK.
Ailsa Kennedy-Ballard, deputy director of innovation programmes and partnerships at Innovate UK, said: “This investment marks a significant step forward in addressing the regulatory challenges that often hinder innovation. By establishing these Regulatory Science and Innovation Networks, we’re enabling collaboration between researchers, businesses, and policymakers to contribute to a regulatory landscape that can adapt to the pace of technological advancements.
“These networks will not only help unlock opportunities for investment and innovation but also ensure that the UK remains a competitive leader in creating safer, more sustainable, and forward thinking solutions across diverse sectors.”
Cross-sector workshop on biobased materials
BB-REG-NET will host its first cross-sector workshop on 4 March 2025 at the Royal Society of Chemistry in London. The session will focus on “Creating a Favourable Regulatory Environment for Bio-based Materials”.
Professor Rachael Rothman from the University of Sheffield said: “BB-REG-NET will bring together industry, academia, policy makers and regulators with a shared goal of developing, assessing and bringing to market the bio-based supply chains needed for a sustainable future.
“Through collaboration across sectors, we will develop guidelines to help harmonise the assessment of bio-based and biodegradable materials, and in particular to ensure fair, forward-looking comparisons with fossil counterparts.”
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