|
Lyon, France
April 10, 2003
Six studies presented today by Feike Sijbesma,
Chairman of EuropaBio and
member of the Board of DSM show that the use of micro-organisms
like moulds, yeasts or bacteria and enzymes in industrial
production can contribute to sustainability by saving on the use
of water, energy and raw materials. Using bioprocesses, known as
White Biotechnology, to produce antibiotics, vitamins,
detergents, bio-plastics and new textile fibres decreases the
environmental footprint while in a number of cases also creates
economic value and at the same time also new jobs. "Today we
show that White Biotechnology can contribute to all aspects of
Tripe P - People, Planet, Profit," says Feike Sijbesma.
A group of innovative companies submitted six
different bioprocesses to the environmental scrutiny of
independent peer reviewers, among them the Oeko-Institute from
Freiburg, a scientific institute with a high reputation among
environmentalists. All studies showed important environmental
benefits, be it in reducing water or energy use or CO2,
with five case studies also scoring high on economic value. "We
are encouraged by the positive results of our case studies,
which confirm the OECD results on the benefits of biological
processes," says Steen Riisgaard, Chair of EuropaBio’s
Industrial Biotechnology Board and CEO of Novozymes. "In the
next step, we have to find new ways to broaden the range of
biological processes." Today biological processes are a reality
in producing, for example, certain fine chemicals, antibiotics
or detergents. In the future the technology should advance to be
used in many other industrial processes too.
"To capture the potential of White Biotechnology
a Technology Platform (with all stakeholders present) should be
set up,"says Feike Sijbesma. "We need to develop a vision and
roadmap, we need to work on financial incentives, a supportive
regulatory framework and reduce biological feed stock prices".
The promise of a new biobased economy has
spurred the US to develop a long term strategy and a technology
road map to 2020. According to Feike Sijbesma, "Such a change
cannot happen overnight in Europe, but the EU must start to make
long term plans right now".
Copy of the slide presentation and photo
materials can be downloaded from the following web page:
http://www.europabio.org/pages/ne_wb_100403.asp
Results of the Independent review
The following companies: BASF, DSM,
Novozymes, CargillDow, DuPont and Genencor have asked
independent organisations to carry out environmental assessments
of 6 case studies, comparing White Biotechnology processes to
traditional processes.
- BASF - Vitamin B 2
(assessment by the Oeko-Institute)
White Biotechnology reduces the traditional
6 step chemical process to a 1 step biological process and
lowers costs by 40 %.
- DSM - Cephalexin (an antibiotic)
(assessment by the
Oeko-Institute)
White Biotechnology reduces energy and
materials use by 65% each and variable costs by 50% compared
to traditional processes.
- Novozymes - Textiles (scouring)
(assessment by the
Oeko-Institute)
White Biotechnology replaces the hot
alkaline solution with an enzyme to do the scouring job, and
in so doing reduces emissions to water by 60%, energy use by
25% and the bioprocess is 20% cheaper than traditional
scouring techniques.
New biobased polymers
- Cargill Dow – a bioplastic
White Biotechnology can be used to produce
a biodegradable plastic, reducing dependency on fossil inputs
by 25-55% and reducing green house gasses by 10-78% today,
compared with competitive fossil resource based polymers.
(Figures are valid for cradle-to-factory gate).
- DuPont - a new biobased polymer (assessment by Five
Winds International)
White Biotechnology can be used to make one
of the key ingredients for a new polymer for textiles using
dextrose from corn and cutting the use of fossil inputs by
50%.
These biobased polymers are currently
competitive in niche applications, but their success will
depend on the price of sugar, starch and vegetable oils – the
natural feedstocks needed for bioprocesses.
- Future scenario - Bio-fuels and bio-chemicals
(assessment by the Oeko-Institute)
If White Biotechnology is used to produce ethanol for fuel
and ethylene for plastics, the latter being the largest volume
bulk chemical produced by the chemical industry, a reduction of
up to 100% in fossil fuel CO2 emissions could be achieved.
However, the process is not economically viable. A breakthrough
such as biomass conversion to sugar, starch or oil, the
biological feedstocks necessary for bioprocesses, would be a
major cost reducing factor.
Notes
EuropaBio has about 35 corporate members operating
worldwide and 21 national biotechnology associations
representing some 1200 SMEs involved in research and
development, testing, manufacturing and distribution of
biotechnology products.
www.europabio.org
- DSM is the leading producer of life science products,
performance materials and industrial chemicals. With its head
office in Heerlen, the Netherlands, DSM’s annual sales are
approximately € 6 billion, and the company employs about
20,000 people at more than 200 sites across the world
http://www.dsm.com
What is white biotechnology?
http://www.europabio.org/pages/module_17.asp
Independent Peer Reviewers
- Öko-Institut a registered non-profit association that
conducts environmental research independent of government
and industry, for the benefit of society.
http://www.oeko.de/
Five Winds International is a small
environmental-management consultancy, founded in 1998 and
serving clients in North America, Europe and Asia.
www.fivewinds.com
OECD report finds that biotechnology contributes to
industrial sustainability
http://www.oecd.org/EN/document/0,,EN-document-27-nodirectorate-no-12-21620-27,00.html
Novozymes A/S is a biotech-based world leader in enzymes
and microorganisms for industrial use. With headquarters in
Denmark, Novozymes employs more than 3,700 people in 27
countries.
www.novozymes.com
Genencor International is a diversified biotechnology
company that develops and delivers protein-based products and
bioprocessing services into the healthcare, agri-processing,
industrial and consumer markets. Founded in 1982, Genencor’s
annual revenue for 2002 was over $350 million and the company
employs about 1,300 people in eight manufacturing sites around
the world.
www.genencor.com
BASF is the world's leading chemical company with sales of
32.5 billion euros in 2001. BASF employs about 93,000
employees worldwide and operates production facilities in 38
countries.
www.basf.com
Cargill Dow LLC, founded in 1997, is a stand-alone company
based in Minnetonka, Minn., USA. It is a joint venture between
Cargill and Dow. The company offers a family of polymers
derived entirely from annually renewable resources.
http://www.cargilldow.com
DuPont is a science company, founded in 1802 and operating
in more than 70 countries. Revenues in 2002 reached $24
billion, the company employs 79 000 employees. The company
offers a wide range of products and services to markets
including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications,
safety and protection, home and construction, transportation
and apparel.
http://www.dupont.com
|
