Wait to fully exploit biomass

Full exploitation of biomass produced on the land is some way off, says a top European expert.

Biomass must replace the raw materials currently made from fossil sources if we are to sustainably satisfy the demand for plastics, solvents, paints and adhesives, according to Harry Bitter, recently appointed professor of biobased commodity chemistry at Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

“This is quite a challenge, as there are many different forms of biomass and its composition varies from year to year,” said the scientist.