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Including Paludiculture Products in the Advanced Materials Act
PaluWise, FIBSUN, Paludi4All, PALUS DEMOS, & PaludiAllianz
Joint Policy Brief (December 2025) | 2025
This joint policy brief, stemming from a September 2025 workshop in Greifswald, advocates for the inclusion of paludiculture biomass applications within the EU's Advanced Materials Act. By providing bio-based alternatives to conventional materials, paludiculture can contribute to the EU Bioeconomy Strategy and climate targets, such as the goal to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The document highlights applications in building materials, packaging, and peat-free growing media, noting that the use of these crops can save energy and significantly reduce carbon footprints. However, it also addresses current challenges, such as high production costs compared to plastics, the expense of mandatory CE certification for building materials, and the need for uniform life cycle assessments (LCA). To overcome these barriers and foster a sustainable circular economy, the brief recommends stronger policy support, including direct agricultural subsidies and integration into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)—to accelerate the industrial uptake of these advanced materials.
Hemp fines as alternative lignocellulosic material for non-woven semi-rigid thermal insulation panels
Percy Alao, Maximilien Gibier, Silvia Bibbo, Laurent Bedel, Stergios Adamopoulos
Materials Today Sustainability, Volume 34 | 2026
This study explores the potential of "hemp fines", a natural byproduct generated during industrial hemp processing, as a sustainable material for building insulation. By blending these agricultural residues with traditional wood fibers at varying rates, researchers evaluated the thermal, functional, and moisture-resistant properties of the resulting semi-rigid panels. The findings demonstrate that a 25% substitution of wood fibers with short hemp fines yields insulation panels that perform just as well as standard wood-fiber boards. While higher substitution rates can further improve thermal resistance, they also increase moisture absorption. Overall, this research highlights a practical, circular-economy approach to repurposing agricultural waste into eco-friendly construction materials that enhance energy efficiency.
Short rotation coppice trees in contaminated sites: A study of wood characteristics for bio-concrete applications
Percy Festus Alao, Edern Philippot, Silvia Bibbo, Dmitry Tarasov, Floran Pierre, et al.
Bioresource Technology Reports, Volume 33 | 2026
This study investigates the dual potential of short rotation coppice (SRC) trees, such as poplar, willow, and black locust, grown on contaminated lands for use in sustainable construction. While these fast-growing trees are highly effective at soil remediation through the uptake of environmental pollutants, their resulting biomass requires safe, high-value utilization. The researchers evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics of this harvested wood to determine its viability as an aggregate in bio-concrete production. By successfully integrating phytoremediation biomass into construction materials, this approach offers a promising circular economy solution that locks away carbon, manages contaminated land, and develops eco-friendly alternatives to traditional concrete.
Reactive extrusion of reeds (Phragmites australis) and production of binder-less foam insulator
Ainu Voipio, Veikko Möttönen, Kristiina Lång, Tapani Vuorinen, Anuj Kumar
Materials Today Sustainability, Volume 35 | 2026
The construction and packaging industries rely heavily on petroleum-derived foams and energy-intensive mineral wools, driving a critical need for sustainable, bio-based alternatives. This study explores the development of eco-friendly insulation using the common reed (Phragmites australis). By utilizing hydrothermal treatment and reactive extrusion processing, the researchers successfully produced binder-less reed foams, eliminating the need for fossil-derived adhesives. The resulting material demonstrates excellent dimensional stability when exposed to moisture and offers thermal conductivity comparable to conventional polyurethane and polystyrene foams, presenting a highly viable, renewable solution for commercial insulation.
Agriculture on wet peatlands: the sustainability potential of paludiculture
Ralph J.M. Temmink, Kristiina Lång, Renske J.E. Vroom, Jens Leifeld, Christian Fritz, et al.
Agricultural Systems, Volume 231 | 2026
This study evaluates paludiculture, the productive agricultural use of wet peatlands, as an innovative alternative to conventional, drainage-based farming. By synthesizing ecological and socio-economic data, the authors demonstrate that wet agriculture effectively reduces greenhouse gas emissions, restores biodiversity, and directly contributes to ten of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. While challenges surrounding economic viability and land-use competition remain, paludiculture offers a promising pathway to generate new revenue streams for farmers while protecting vital peatland ecosystems and mitigating climate change.
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