Bio-based additives as alternatives to unlock and increase recyclability and/or biodegradability
Open
Status as published by the data source.
Expected Outcome:
Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the Zero Pollution Action Plan, the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the Chemical Industry Action Plan. They will provide solutions in line with the objectives of the EU legislation on waste but also the Horizon Europe Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030" in particular to Objective 2: "Prevent and eliminate pollution of our oceans, Seas and waters” as well as the Horizon Europe Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”, in particular objectives “Reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration”.
Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:
• Wider availability of bio-based additives targeting high functional properties, stability and compatibility with polymers/matrices.
• Contribution to improved circularity of end products in relevant market sectors.
• Potential replicability into other industrial sectors to widen market opportunity.
• Reduction or avoidance of environmental impacts related to life cycle of additives and additive-containing materials and/or products. Scope:
While additives are often necessary to confer specific properties to materials and/or products, their presence can hinder their circular EoL (including – depending on the application – recycling and/or biodegradation). Risks upon recycling and biodegradation encompass the release into the environment of harmful substances, e.g., release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic metals, microplastics. Proposals under this topic should:
• Demonstrate (at least at TRL 6) innovative processes for the synthesis of bio-based SSbD additives that:
• Enable a circular EoL for materials and/or products that are currently not recyclable and/or not biodegradable, or
• Improve circularity of materials and/or products, e.g., by requiring resources/energy efficient and safe conditions for recycling or facilitating biodegradation.
• In the context of this topic, circular EoL includes recycling and/or biodegradation. Justify the choice of the proposed solution(s) in addressing existing bottlenecks in the circular EoL of targeted materials and/or products including where embedded additives play a fundamental role in hindering circularity.
• Provide alternative solutions that prevent the release of harmful chemicals during the product life cycle (including from products produced from recyclates) of materials and/or products, while enabling the relevant EoL options. Application of the demonstrated bio-based additives could be relevant for bio-based, partly bio-based or non-bio-based end products.
• Demonstrate (at least at TRL 6) the compatibility and processability of SSbD bio-based additives within the formulation/manufacturing of materials and/or products. Validate the technical performances of materials/products incorporating the novel bio-based additive(s) and proving to fulfil market requirements for selected application sector(s). Target at least two distinct market sectors in cooperation with end-users.
• If targeting biodegradability of end-products, assess that the additives, as well as the end-product, biodegrade safely in different environments (soil and water) according to existing EU/International standards, methods and protocols.
• If targeting recyclability as the EoL, test and validate it, including assessing the effect of the additives on the waste management system (encompassing sorting, separation and recycling). Any recycling route is in scope: mechanical, chemical, organic, enzymatic (including their possible combination). In addition to the specific requirements applicable for the type of action, as described in section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026[1], proposals under this topic should:
• As part of the multi-actor approach (MAA) approach, involve waste management, product manufacturers, brand owners and consumers, when applicable, starting from the early stages to assess market acceptance and incorporate insights into process/product development.
• Include a task to apply the SSbD framework, developed by the European Commission for the assessment of targeted chemicals/materials and derived bio-based product(s). For more information on the SSbD framework and criteria, refer to Safe and sustainable by design.
• Ensure complementarities with past and ongoing R&I projects addressing similar challenges, including projects funded under Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe (under Cluster 6 and other Clusters of Horizon Europe) and BBI JU/CBE JU projects. [1] https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents
- Status
- Open
- Deadline
- (time not stated)
- Opens
- Published
- Grant range
- €7,000,000 – €7,000,000
- Country
- European Union (EU-wide)
- Programme
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Official page
- Open at the source portal
Other calls under Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
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- Advanced TSO control rooms to enhance grid observability, stability and resilience
- Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADSM) for more efficient and flexible distribution grids
- Community of practice - Data-Driven Decision-Making in Energy
- Industrial processes and equipment for innovative, reliable and scalable tandem technologies (EUPI-PV Partnership)
- Integrated Approaches for Retrofitting Infrastructures with Innovative Energy Storage Technologies
- Demonstration of hydropower technologies for efficient and forward-looking refurbishment of existing hydropower plants
- Delivery of industrial CCUS clusters – Societal Readiness pilot
All calls under this programme
Similar opportunities
- SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care
- SSbD bio-based alternatives for fertilising and/or crop protection products
- Developing novel recycling technologies for complex plastic materials applying biotech solutions
- Innovative technologies for zero pollution, zero-waste biorefineries
- Programmed biodegradation capability of bio-based materials and products, validated in specific environments
- Expansion and/or retro-fitting of biorefineries towards higher-value bio-based chemicals and intermediates
Where this came from
- Source document
- https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/data/topicDetails/horizon-ju-cbe-2026-ia-02.json
- Document fingerprint
2a0c151459e23d99(SHA-256, first 16 hex characters)- Retrieved
- First recorded here
What has changed
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- opens_on first recorded as 2026-04-23 on
- published_on first recorded as 2026-04-23 on
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- status first recorded as open on
- title first recorded as Bio-based additives as alternatives to unlock and increase recyclability and/or biodegradability on
Data source
© European Union, 2026. Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Reused under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU — CC BY 4.0.
Retrieved from the source on .
The source last updated this document on Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:01:49 GMT.
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