30 September 2019: European Forum of Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy

The EFIB, European Forum of Industrial Biotechnology and the Bioeconomy is a triple-helix conference with participants from over 30 countries, and more than 280 organisations from business, policy and science.  On Monday 30 September, Petra Hogervorst (RIVM) gave a presentation at a fully booked stakeholder EFIB pre-conference on Safe and Effective Biobased Solvents: ReSolve, in Brussels. She elaborated on topics, such as safe and sustainable by design, the circular economy, substitution of chemicals of very high concern, and alternative assessment. RIVM develops tools and workshops to support chemical companies and stakeholders in topics such as safe by design to avoid regrettable substitution. In line with this work, RIVM supports the Dutch Government in the implementation and development of the Safe Chemical Innovation Agenda (SCIA).

20 September 2019: Circular Chemical Plastics Alliance 

Anne van Bruggen and Susanne Waaijers-van der Loop (RIVM) attended the Circular Chemical Plastics Alliance in Brussels on 20 September, a high-level international meeting on recycling and recycled content of plastics. A declaration was signed by more than 100 parties. RIVM and the Dutch Authorities have not yet signed the declaration as they stress the need for inclusion of subjects such as reduction, design, monitoring and substances of concern. These are also the subjects proposed in the European Plastic Pact. This pact, currently in preparation, is initiated by the Netherlands and France. Harmonisation of the Circular Plastics Alliance with the European Plastic Pact seems key. Companies, knowledge institutes, governments and NGOs discussed the rest of the day the setup and content of different working groups necessary to put the declaration into practice. An overview of the day and the declaration and signatories can be found here. 

September 25, 2018: Evaluation 'From Waste to Resources'  (VANG)  programme  2014 – 2016

The From Waste to Resources (VANG) programme was carried out between 2014 and 2016, as a precursor to the government-wide programme ‘A Circular Economy in the Netherlands by 2050’. The activities of VANG have now been completed or integrated into this government-wide programme that was started in 2016. RIVM carried out an evaluation for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) on which goals and ambitions of the VANG programme were realised by 2016. Read more