Renewable chemicals company Circa Group and the University of York in the UK launched a new research institute to advance the development of bio-based chemicals.
The new center, called the Circa Renewable Chemistry Institute, will provide Circa and its key customers with access to the latest research from the university’s Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence and its laboratories, according to a university news release.
York University and Oslo, Norway-based Circa have worked together for nearly a decade and developed a multipurpose bio-based solvent called Cyrene for use in various process industries, including pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, textile recycling and agrichemicals.
The partners are looking to develop the next breakthrough in renewable chemistry, according to the news release.
“We have worked with Circa now for nearly a decade, and the strength of the relationship lies in the shared belief that the chemical industry can and will be environmentally responsible and able to transition from fossil-based chemicals to commercially viable bio-based products,” said James Clark, director of the institute and a professor at the University of York. “We have seen the impact that Cyrene has had on the industry, and this is now our inspiration to continue to work on other green products that can be scaled-up to meet the demands of consumers."
