Public Funding for Green Rose Chemistry Ltd

**Challenge** The climate emergency is the greatest societal challenge of our time. Chemicals and plastics manufacturing accounts for ~6% of global CO2-equivalent emissions; international aviation, in comparison, is responsible for ~1% (CEFIC-2024). Yet despite movement toward Net Zero, petrochemical production is increasing (IEA-2018). Currently ~88% of chemicals and plastics are made from virgin-fossil resources (Nova-Institute-2023). This fossil-based carbon must be replaced by renewable carbon sources, such as biomass, to manufacture bio-based and biodegradable chemicals and plastics (BB-materials). To remove our reliance on virgin-fossil resources by 2050, we will likely need ~20% of all chemicals and plastics to be manufactured from biomass---yet today, only a fraction are (Nova-Institute-2023). Development of BB-materials is essential to deployment of a UK circular bioeconomy, which holds significant potential for sustainable economic growth, resource efficiency, and environmental conservation (DSIT-2023). Transitioning from fossil-based to BB-materials will require a whole-of-government approach that tackles petrochemical "lock-in" (DOI:10.1016/j.erss.2022.102729). Today, the commercialisation and adoption of BB-materials are hampered by regulatory hurdles, inadequate standardisation, communication barriers, and conflicting policies from different government bodies. BB-materials are not being afforded a level-playing-field with their fossil-based counterparts (Nova-Institute-2024). **Proposal** The Bio-based and Biodegradable Regulatory NETwork (BB-REG-NET) will foster a virtual network of stakeholders from across the sector to address specific challenge areas, including: _**Regulation**_: Current regulations favour fossil-based incumbents, slowing market entry of BB-materials. Legislative hurdles to assess include, REACH, Plastics Packaging Tax, Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, Simpler Recycling, and waste management and classification. **_Standards, certification, and labelling_**: Standards for Life Cycle Analysis and end-of-life labelling for BB-materials are inadequate and misleading. Labelling schemes and advertising are inconsistent and confusing for consumers. **_Communication_**: Communication about BB-materials is challenging, with terms such as "biodegradable" often being misused, leading to greenwashing. Clear, standardised terminology is needed. **_Policy:_** There is a disconnect between policies across government, hindering commercialisation of BB-materials. Research funding priorities do not align with the Biomass Strategy, DEFRA's simpler recycling guidance, or the EPR scheme. This misalignment perpetuates the unequal footing of BB-materials and reduces benefit to the taxpayer. BB-REG-NET will assess current status and future requirements of the sector, and develop evidence-based tools, standards and interventions to support formulation of policies that accelerate growth of innovative BB-materials, reducing our reliance on fossil resources.

Nanomox Ltd is embarking on an exciting project to explore the potential of their innovative manufacturing process, Oxidative Ionothermal Synthesis (OIS), for recycling Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and manufacturing nanomaterials. OIS is a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach that uses wet chemistry to recover metals and produce advanced nanomaterials. Unlike traditional methods, OIS significantly reduces energy requirements and eliminates the need for harsh chemicals, resulting in reduced environmental impacts. For instance, in the case of zinc oxide production, OIS achieves an impressive 97% reduction in energy consumption and associated emissions compared to conventional methods. OIS excels at efficiently recovering metals from various industrial waste streams, regardless of their quality or concentration, yielding pure metals or advanced nanomaterials. This project aims to leverage the OIS process to meet the increasing demand for REEs in the UK market while addressing challenges in supply chain resilience. By doing so, it supports the UK's Critical Minerals strategy and Net Zero target. The project will also focus on developing the technology for extracting REEs from waste streams and exploring their use in manufacturing REE-based nanomaterials for high-tech applications. Through collaboration with the Science and Technologies Council and Green Rose Chemistry, Nanomox will demonstrate the capability of OIS to recover REEs of sufficient quality to be upcycled into high-quality permanent magnets. The project will comprehensively investigate the system-level aspects of this ground-breaking technology, providing empirical evidence of the economic and environmental value of OIS in REE recovery. This collaboration positions Nanomox to revolutionise production and application of advanced inorganic materials, driving sustainable advancements and fostering a circular economy in the REE industry. The aim of this feasibility study is to assess the potential of the OIS process in the field of rare earth elements (REE). A successful outcome will yield the following benefits: Enable the recovery of REE from various waste streams, including slags from the steel industry, spent magnets, and electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE). This will contribute to efficient resource utilisation and minimise the reliance on primary sources. Drive the development of new materials suitable for use in permanent magnet applications. By exploring innovative materials, we can enhance the performance and sustainability of permanent magnets, thus expanding their range of applications. By achieving these objectives, the feasibility study will play a significant role in advancing sustainable practices for REE mining, promoting efficient waste stream utilisation, and driving innovation in permanent magnet materials.

The after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be felt through all industries for many years, if not decades, yet following a crisis there is always an opportunity for innovation that can change the way businesses operate and make them more competitive. COVID-19 has brought sustainability to the forefront of the conversation. With increasing interest from climate experts, activists, governments and the next generation, it is industry's responsibility to respond by developing products that are not only functional, but genuinely sustainable, whilst remaining competitive in the global marketplace. Incorez is a key supplier of construction intermediates to the global Sika Group, and therefore well-positioned to develop the next generation of sustainable, bio-based building materials that will be used well into the future. With this project, Incorez seeks to identify and adopt high-performance bio-based solvents for use in its liquid applied membrane (LAM) roofing products. Solvents serve a critical role in resin manufacture and product formulation by facilitating chemical reactions, dissolving and stabilising formulations, controlling viscosity, and enabling rapid and smooth film formation. The solvents used in LAM products throughout industry are currently petroleum based and must be replaced with bio-based options as the UK transitions to a bio-economy. Incorez has partnered with Merck, a world leader in chemical manufacturing and distribution, and Green Rose Chemistry, the UK's leading green solvents consultancy, to lead an innovative project seeking bio-based solvents for the roofing industry. While the traditional industrial approach is to source and test existing available raw materials, incurring high lab testing costs and long product development times, this project aims to take a new approach that will accelerate and de-risk solvent research. Green Rose Chemistry will apply specialist solvent lead identification software based on the Hansen solubility parameters to mine an extensive database of bio-based solvents, identifying potential greener alternatives that have a much higher probability of successful commercialisation. Merck will assess the economics and available supply chain for the selected solvents, identifying the candidates that are commercially viable. Incorez will test the best prospects in its product development labs and oversee life cycle analysis to evaluate their long-term sustainability, laying the groundwork for incorporation of truly sustainable bio-based solvents in its next-generation roofing products.