Category: <span>News</span>

PFAS enforcement notices in UK drinking water supplies

A BBC News item reports that seven UK water companies have been issued with enforcement notices requiring them to take action on potentially harmful concentrations of PFAS ‘Forever chemicals’ in water supplies to an estimated 6 million people. The cases were identified through analysis of Freedom of Information requests to …

Mid-range equipment for biosciences research: ALERT 2025

Closing date: 20 Jan 2026 16:00 UK The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is inviting applications for funding to purchase mid-range equipment for research in areas across its scientific remit through ALERT 2025. The funding is intended to provide: equipment that will be widely used and underpins capability …

BB-REG-NET report on biodegradable plastics (but where’s the AD?)

A new report from BB-REG-NET examines the breakdown of biodegradable plastics in the environment. Based on case studies in composting, agriculture and forestry, it concludes that certified biodegradable plastics break down at similar rates to their rate of entry into environment, preventing long-term accumulation. Scenarios considered include direct placement of …

Rags to riches, muck to brass?  Waste Crime finally hits the news

The UK’s huge problem with waste crime  –  the illegal and dangerous disposal of waste materials  –  is finally attracting some attention:  see BBC News, other media and responses from bodies such as CIWM, Environment Agency etc. A short report from the House of Lords’ Environment and Climate Change Committee …

RSC Towards a Biobased Chemical Future – new date

New date and time: 26 Feb 2026, 13-17:00 UK Venue: Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the Bio-Based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) are hosting a session Towards a Biobased Chemical Future to consider the role of pioneering sustainable …

IBioIC Scale-up opportunities – don’t miss these!

EBNet is one of many groups highlighting the importance of scale-up issues in the design and implementation of Industrial Biotechnology (processes:  see the outputs from our joint  workshop with Carbon Recycling Network. So a big welcome to three events organised by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC), for which booking …

Leverhulme Trust Visiting Professorships – closes 1 May 2026

The Leverhulme Trust‘s Visiting Professorship scheme is for UK institutions to invite an eminent senior professor from overseas, to bring genuinely novel expertise and enhance the skills and knowledge of academic staff and students in an underrepresented area in the UK. Priority will be given to new or recent collaborations …

Bioenergy and bioeconomy network synergies – IEA Report

An IEA Inter-Task report on Synergies for bioenergy supply chain in Bioeconomy networks describes efforts to expand the current linear value chain perspective into a broader network-based view of bioenergy and bioeconomy systems. The report introduces a framework to help identify and leverage synergies between bioenergy supply chains, biobased materials …

New Resource Framework Protocols – REA webinars 22 Oct 2025

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) is running two webinars, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, on the new Anaerobic Digestate and Compost Resource Frameworks (RFs), which were officially published today: . AD Resource Framework Industry webinar 22 Oct 2025 11-13:00 UK Compost Resource Framework Industry webinar 22 Oct 2025 14-16:00 UK To …

IEA Webinar on Biomass Availability estimation – 30 Oct 2025

Date: 30 Oct 2025, 12-13:30 UK (13-14:30 CET) IEA Bioenergy  is hosting a webinar on Progress and Challenges in Assessing Biomass Availability. The webinar reviews recent efforts to develop comparable estimates for sustainable biomass supply across different countries, and shares insights on how to better understand global biomass potentials. The …

Measuring methane emissions in agriculture (and elsewhere?) – IFEAA/IMechE webinar 3 Nov

Date: 3 Nov 2025, 12:00 UK  Register HERE Accurate quantification of methane emissions from sites and processes is an issue for a range of environmental biotechnologies, from landfill to slurry lagoons and large-scale anaerobic digestion.  Agricultural methane sources, such as livestock farming, pose the same problems and can be particularly …

CIWM webinar: Upskilling for a circular economy – 31 Oct 2025

Date: 31 Oct 2025, 11:00 UK  Register HERE. A webinar organised by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) will discuss the most critical skills required for the transition from a linear to a more circular economy, identify when these are needed and explore how they can be secured. Prof …