Lisbon, Feb. 16, 2021 (Lusa) - Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) put out to public consultation on Tuesday, provides for €150 million to promote the incorporation of bio-based materials in the textile and clothing, footwear and resins sectors.
"The main purpose of this investment, which the Environmental Fund will implement, will be to incorporate biobased materials (as an alternative to fossil-based materials) in three sectors of national economic activity, ensuring greater competitiveness and contribute to the transition to carbon neutrality fairly and cohesively, essential for the achievement of environmental and economic goals in a sustainable way," the document said.
The planned investment aims to support 30 research, development and innovation projects, 40 industrial property registration applications (trademarks, utility models or patents), as well as contributing to 55 members per year joining the resin tappers programme and providing financial support for the improvement of 8,000 hectares of maritime pine woods with potential for resin tappers.
In the textile and clothing sector, the aim is to develop new production processes for textile articles, "from biobased raw materials, incorporating forest biomass (cellulose and lignin) and alternative natural fibres from the agri-food sector (fibres from pineapple and banana leaves, hemp, rice cane, among others)".
It is also intended to improve that sector in terms of circularity, "promoting innovative business models based on the reprocessing of biological, recycled and reused raw materials.
In the footwear sector, the investment is based on promoting the use and recycling of "agro-food or industrial by-products and bio-waste" and the "development of new concepts of bio and eco products with higher added value".
Regarding the resin sector, the aim is to foster the production of natural resin, with initiatives to increase its production and ensure "levels of self-supply to the industry and catalyse sustainable forest management, reduce the risk of fire and contribute to the development of the rural world".
The creation of "an Iberian 'seal' and technical dissemination on the entire value chain and a communication and marketing plan for the end consumer" is also planned, to make a "positive differentiation of natural resin and derived products".
MPE/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
Este conteúdo é protegido por Direitos de Autor e Direitos Conexos e Direitos de Propriedade Industrial ao abrigo das leis portuguesas e da União Europeia, não podendo ser utilizado fora das condições admitidas no mesmo. É expressamente proibido copiar, reproduzir, modificar, exibir, transmitir ou divulgar, por qualquer forma ou para qualquer fim os conteúdos deste site, sem prévia e devida autorização da LUSA.