SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care

Expected Outcome:

Successful proposals will contribute to the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, the Chemical Industry Action Plan, the Clean Industrial Deal as well as the Horizon Europe Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030" in particular to Objective 2: "Prevent and eliminate pollution of our oceans, Seas and waters".

Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes:

• Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) to produce SSbD bio-based solutions for home and/or personal care sector with significantly improved sustainability.
• Wider availability of bio-based products in home and/or personal care sector meeting both regulatory standards and technical performance requirements.
• Increased consumer/end user acceptance of bio-based solutions, facilitating market uptake.
• Contribution to the EU strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness, reducing the fossil feedstock dependence for chemicals production and minimising biomass imports dependencies.

Scope:

The home and personal care sector, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and cosmetics, is a key industry where sustainability and performance challenges and demands are high. SSbD and competitive bio-based solutions are needed, for instance, for solvents, surfactants, preservatives, antimicrobial and antifungals agents, disinfectants, film forming agents, emulsifiers, emollients, exfoliants and abrasives, stabilisers, polymers and thickeners, conditioning agents, active ingredients, and other functional compounds.

Despite advancements at demo scale in green chemistry and biotechnologies, further effort is needed to bridge innovation gaps and demonstrate at industrial scale the production of SSbD bio-based alternatives to conventional chemicals and ingredients, while maintaining/enhancing key functional properties in end-products/ formulations, such as physical stability, shelf life, efficacy, prevention of bioaccumulation and biodegradability.

Proposals under this topic should:

• Demonstrate (at TRL 8) the production of SSbD bio-based solution(s) as an alternative to conventional chemicals, ingredients and combinations thereof, that are currently used in the formulation of home and/or personal care products (including cosmetics). SSbd bio-based chemicals/ingredients and biotechnology solutions are both in scope. Materials entering the end product formulation (e.g., granulates, powders, microbeads, micro/nano cellulose) are also in scope, while other materials related to home and personal care applications (e.g., nonwovens, other wipes, packaging) are out of scope.
• Demonstrate (at TRL 7 and above) the application of the bio-based solution(s) into the formulation of market relevant end-product(s). Assess technical performances of end-product(s), ensuring that their final properties meet market application requirements. Adding new functionalities for specific applications is also in scope. While the topic focuses primarily on home and personal care applications, the demonstrated solution(s) could also be applicable to industrial production processes. When this is the case, validation (at TRL 6) of the industrial use case should be addressed.
• Test that the release and accumulation of pollutants and harmful substances in the water is being avoided, including microplastics. When biodegradable solutions are targeted, validate biodegradability according to applicable EU/international standards, depending on the substance group and the final application(s).

In addition to the specific requirements applicable for the type of action, as described in section 2.2.3.1 of the CBE JU Annual Work Programme 2026^[1], proposals under this topic should:

• As part of the multi-actor approach (MAA), involve end-users, including brand owners and consumers when applicable, starting from the early stages to assess market acceptance of the targeted end-products and incorporate insights into product development.
• Assess the safety of targeted bio-based solutions and end-products adopting standards and protocols in line with EU regulatory requirements for the selected application sector(s).
• Include a task to identify potential regulatory gaps and provide recommendations to overcome potential bottlenecks.
• Include a task to apply the SSbD framework, developed by the European Commission for the assessment of targeted chemicals/solutions and derived bio-based product(s). For more information on the SSbD framework and criteria, refer to Safe and sustainable by design.
• Ensure complementarities with past and ongoing R&I projects addressing similar challenges, including projects funded under Horizon 2020/Horizon Europe (under Cluster 6 and other Clusters of Horizon Europe) and BBI JU/CBE JU projects.

[1] https://www.cbe.europa.eu/reference-documents