SEED FUND 3.0 - Project SludgeChain

Systemic Mapping and Understanding of Governance and Regulatory Challenges in Fiber Crop Value Chains

Summary

Fiber crops such as hemp and miscanthus are promising raw materials for a sustainable bioeconomy. However, their use in sectors including construction materials, paper, and fiber composites is often con-strained by complex, fragmented, or outdated regulatory frameworks. Approval procedures, product certifi-cations, and usage regulations differ across regions, leading to uncertainty, slowing down innovation, and limiting market access. These so-called "regulatory sludges" represent significant barrier to the material utili-zation of bio-based resources. SludgeChain investigates these regulatory challenges systematically through selected examples of fiber crop value chains. Drawing on case studies, literature analyses, and interviews with stakeholders and authorities, the project identifies, categorizes, and evaluates central barriers. The goal is to highlight institutional leverage points that can support a more innovation-friendly and sustainable use of fiber crops, while also generating insights that may be transferable to other areas of the bioeconomy.

SEED FUND 3.0 Project Coordinator

Partners

Prof. Ulrich Schurr, Dr. Holger Klose, Institute for Bio- and Geosciences: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Prof. Ralf Pude, INRES – Nachwachsende Rohstoffe, University of Bonn
Prof. Monika Hartmann, Dr. Jeanette Klink-Lehmann, MSc Janine Macht, Institute for Food and Resource Economics, University of Bonn

Funding period

01.11.2025 - 31.12.2026

Funding

SludgeChain is part of the NRW-Strategieprojekt BioSC and thus funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.