Recent developments
Market and policy
Energy price volatility and biofuel policy shaped demand. The Neste Q1 2026 Interim Report cited extreme crude swings and finalized U.S. RFS, with Renewable Products margin at USD 856/t and volumes reduced by maintenance. In the UK, the UK Packaging Pact broadened circularity commitments. In textiles, the Looper joint venture highlighted rising waste and forthcoming EU EPR deadlines.
Low-carbon fuels build
Bio-methanol and biomethane advanced. China’s Guangxi biomethanol plant will use biomass gasification with an e-methanol option in phase 2. Eni’s Enilive approved FIDs for biorefineries at Sannazzaro and Priolo, targeting 5 MTPA by 2030. In Asia, Evonik’s SEPURAN Green membranes will support biomethane upgrading expansion. Upstream CI traceability for ethanol feedstocks is being enabled by BASF and Nutrien aligned with U.S. 45Z credits.
Circular packaging, sorting
Circular packaging and pre-sorting saw new deployments. Dow and RDM unveiled Multiboard CirculaRR, a food-contact paperboard with an ISCC PLUS mass-balance PE layer designed for paper streams and EU PPWR. EEW began trials of a first pre-sorting facility for mixed waste to extract plastics for mechanical and chemical recycling. For identification, trinamiX Mobile NIR enables rapid footwear and textile material ID and Digital Product Passports.
Bio-based inputs expand
Producers expanded bio-based and lower-carbon inputs. BASF introduced ELASTOSPRAY BMB isocyanate for SPF with REDcert2-verified mass balance and a reported 21–29% lower PCF. Evonik expands biotech drug-substance capacity in Slovakia, complementing its industrial rhamnolipids. To decarbonize metals, Elkem secured Enova funding to scale biocarbon in silicon smelters, targeting up to 0.5 Mt/y CO2 reductions.