Partner description
Wageningen Food and Biobased Research (WFBR) is one of 7 closely linked institutes forming Wageningen Research (WR). WFBR provides strategic and application-oriented research within the fields of fresh, food and chains and bio-based products. This enables the rapid conversion of fundamental knowledge to applications on the market. WFBR’s mission is to perform research, aimed at enhancing added value of (agricultural) raw materials, and to act as an intermediate between science and application. WFBR will be represented by the business unit Bio-based products, which is the leading knowledge institute on green raw materials, process innovation, bio-based products and waste management. It has specialised expertise in areas such as biomass processing, biotechnology, organic chemistry, polymer chemistry and polymer technology including plastic recycling. This is supported with well-equipped laboratories with a wide range of analyses equipment and pilot facilities with a broad range of processing equipment. WFBR is active in implementation-oriented R&D on products such as biopolymers (bioplastics and films), paper and board production/recycling, paints and adhesives, sustainable building materials, and many other applications of bio-based feedstock for the chemical industry. It also performs policy studies for the government.
Website: www.wur.eu/wfbr
Role in the project
WR is leader of Task 3.1 and will contribute to a comprehensive overview of intentional use and unintentional input of plastic in European agriculture and the resulting MP/NP concentration in soils. Furthermore, WR will use its expertise in (bio)plastics for characterisation and assessments of recovery and degradation of micro- and nano-plastics in soil (WP6).
Involved personnel
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Maarten van der Zee, PhD is senior scientist bio-based products at WFBR and is working for almost 30 years in the field of biodegradable and bio-based products. This includes feedstock, biotechnological processes, bio-based chemistry, plastics and composites, and end-of-life options. He was involved in various RTD EC-projects in 4th up to 8th Framework programmes, varying from support to standardisation (degradability of packaging materials), scenario development for implementing future non-food crops, and development of a wide range of bio-based products (e.g. foamed products, self-assembling materials, agrotextiles, etc.). He is currently one of the Dutch delegates in CEN/TC 411 ‘Bio-based products’ and active member in several of its working groups. |
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Christiaan Bolck, MSc is director of the Circular & Biobased Performance Materials research programme and as such is coordinating these activities within the Dutch topsectors. Christiaan has over 20 years of experience in product and market development regarding materials and products from biobased and recycled (re-)sources. As programme manager renewable materials within the applied research institute Wageningen Food and Biobased Research, he is currently responsible for the research and development activities at Wageningen Research in the field of biobased and circular materials, such as plastics, textile, paper & pulp, and building materials. In addition, he is Advisory Board member of the lectorate polymer technology at the Windesheim polytechnic, Paperfoam® and Vibers®. |
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Fresia Alvarado Chacon, PhD is a senior researcher at WFBR responsible for the polymer analyses. In the last 5 years she has coordinated the introduction, setting up and validation of different test methods. She was involved (i.a.) in the purchase of a modern infra-red microscope for the accurate analysis and identification of microplastics, multilayer plastics and other multi-components products. Furthermore she has been leading the analytical testing and standardisation of procedures to evaluate recyclability of plastics and the resulting recyclates in projects to advise the Dutch government on recyclate legislation. |
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Karin Molenveld, MSc is a senior scientist at WFBR and is responsible for the developments related to bio-based polymers and products. With 25 years of experience in the field of bio-based plastics, her activities vary from work directly for industry to expert policy advice for the Dutch government or the European Commission. Karin is regularly invited to give lectures on bio-based polymers and the developments within WFBR in this field. |
