European bio-plastic producers are facing growing feedstock pressure as RED III boosts demand for renewable fuels. ICIS reports that fuel-certified UCO-based bio-naphtha is now €441 per tonne more expensive than chemical-certified material. The widening gap highlights how EU fuel mandates are pulling scarce bio-feedstocks toward energy markets, potentially making bio-based plastics less competitive despite broader European circular-economy ambitions.
Personal Remarks
The Commission has a recurring problem: it does not always think through the consequences of its policies. So this situation hardly comes as a surprise. And the damage is not limited to industrial players. Farmers and smaller agricultural operators, who do not have the resources or scale of large corporations, are also exposed when competing policies suddenly drive up demand and prices for the same feedstocks.