Latest nova Market and Trend Reports on Advanced Recycling, Mass Balance and Attribution (MBA), Bio-based Polymers and Alternative Naphtha
8 December 2025 – 14:00-15:30 CET - Online
In this upcoming nova Session, a free webinar, the latest insights from four key reports that are shaping the future of renewable carbon economy, will be presented. The focus will be on the defossilisation of the chemical industry and fossil-free plastics.
In this session, nova’s best experts will explore ground-breaking developments in advanced plastic waste recycling, mass balance and attribution (MBA), bio-based building blocks and polymers and alternative naphtha. Each report examines emerging trends, global capacity and market dynamics that are driving the transition to a defossilised, net-zero chemical industry.
Hosts: Michael Carus, Lars Krause, Pia Skoczinski and Gillian Tweddle (all nova-institute)
Join us for an engaging discussion with the authors and industry experts for a comprehensive look at the challenges and opportunities in these rapidly evolving sectors.
These four reports will be presented, offering in-depth analyses on alternative naphtha, bio-based building blocks and polymers, advanced recycling, and mass balance and attribution (MBA):
NEW: Mapping of Global Advanced Plastic Recycling Capacities
The development of advanced recycling technologies is very dynamic and at a fast pace, with new players constantly appearing on the market, from start-ups to chemistry giants and everything in between. New plants are being built, and new capacities are being achieved. Due to these dynamic developments, it is difficult to keep track of everything. The nova report “Mapping of global advanced plastic recycling capacities” aims to clear up this jungle of information. A comprehensive evaluation of the global input and output capacities was carried out for which 390 planned as well as installed and operating plants including their specific product yields were mapped to provide an overview about global advanced recycling capacities in the past, present, and future.
NEW: Mainstreaming Mass Balance and Attribution (MBA)
The acceptance and accessibility of mass balanced attributed (MBA) chemicals, building blocks and polymers is a major issue for the chemical and plastics sectors, as well as for brand owners. MBA products could provide more options, better availability and reduced costs for the defossilisation compared to dedicated bio-based solutions.
However, both the MBA concept and the political regulations are crucial for scaling up, but difficult to understand. Furthermore, discussions about potentially misleading communication on the concept are confusing stakeholders. In addition, no production volumes are available.
https://renewable-carbon.eu/publications/product/mainstreaming-mass-balance-and-attribution-mba-pdf/
Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2024–2029
2024 was a respectable year for bio-based polymers, with an overall expected CAGR of 13 % to 2029. Overall, bio-based biodegradable polymers have large installed capacities with an expected CAGR of 17 % to 2029, but the current average capacity utilisation is moderate at 65 %. In contrast, bio-based non-biodegradable polymers have a much higher utilisation rate of 90 %, but will only grow by 10 % to 2029.
Epoxy resin and PUR production is growing moderately at 9 and 8 %, respectively, while PP and cyclic APC capacities are increasing by 30 %. Despite a decline in production of biodegradables, especially for PLA in Asia, capacities have increased by 40 %. The same applies to PHA capacities. Commercial newcomers such as casein polymers and PEF recorded a rise in production capacity and are expected to continue to grow significantly until 2029.
Alternative Naphtha – Technologies and Market, Status and Outlook
This report examines how the chemical industry can move away from fossil-based naphtha. It looks at the pathways to naphtha from different renewable carbon sources – CO₂, biomass and recycling – and how these alternatives can be integrated into existing refinery and steam cracker operations. The presentation will cover technologies, market dynamics, industry players and projected capacities that are essential to enable this transition to renewable carbon, which is a critical step towards a defossilised chemical industry.
Program
- 14:00–14:05 Michael Carus, nova-Institute: Welcome, introduction and moderation
- 14:05-14:25 Lars Krause, nova-Institute: Mapping of Global Advanced Plastic Recycling Capacities, presentation and discussion
- 14:25-14:45 Michael Carus, nova-Institute: Mainstreaming Mass Balance and Attribution (MBA)
- 14:45–15:05 Pia Skoczinski, nova-Institute: Bio-based Building Blocks and Polymers – Global Capacities, Production and Trends 2024–2029, presentation and discussion
- 15:05-15:25 Gillian Tweddle, nova-Institute: Alternative Naphtha – Technologies and Market, Status and Outlook, presentation and discussion
- 15:25–15:30 Michael Carus, nova-Institute: Wrap-up and final discussion
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wmDIB2vwSYKgLl14hgdIog