Deadline: 26 December 2023

Expected outcome:

Successful proposals will address expected impacts under the Destination ‘Clean Environment and zero pollution’ and in line with the European Green Deals zero pollution ambition, the bioeconomy strategy, the chemicals strategy for sustainability and the chemicals transition pathways.

Projects are expected to contribute to:

• Enable circularity(-by-design) of final products, predominantly in applications where recyclability is currently hindered or very challenging, especially due safety implications;
• In addition to fossil-feedstock substitution, reduce the dependency on or replace harmful substances, in particular in materials and formulations, leading eventually to safer final bio-based products, while meeting overall environmental sustainability requirements;
• Build on a portfolio of promising bio-based solutions showing potential for scaled up production and future market uptake of alternative, safe, circular and sustainable bio-based products.

Scope:

• Perform a wider scoping exercise, including opportunities and challenges, to propose priority areas and which bio-based solutions show ‘solid’ potential as safer and sustainable alternatives/substitutes.
• Select chemicals/group of chemicals/materials/products and justify. Proceed then with design, development and testing of the chosen bio-based alternatives;
• Integrate the safe-and-sustainable-by-design framework, developed by the Commission, for assessing the safety and sustainability of chemicals and materials.
• Address the adaptability of the built environment over its lifecycle, to ensure flexibility for accessibility adaptations.
• Ensure the involvement of persons with disabilities by means of a participatory approach.
• Demonstrate the solutions in at least two demonstrators.
• Where new digital tools are used in the built environment, ensure their accessibility for persons with disabilities and older persons.