Proclaiming that “the world is on the cusp of an industrial revolution fueled by biotechnology and biomanufacturing,” a new report from The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy details Executive Order 14081 from President Joe Biden that calls for displacing 90% of today’s petroleum-based plastics with recyclable-by-design bio-based polymers over the next 20 years.
The E.O. was signed Sept. 12, 2022 and is titled, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy.” In it, the President lays out his vision for a whole-of-government approach to advancing biotechnology and biomanufacturing by creating a research agenda that outlines the foundational and use-inspired R&D needs that will lead to solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security.
“The E.O. also launched a National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative to ensure that, beyond R&D, we have the domestic capacity to make the United States all the bio-based products we invent here,” the report continues. “This will create new jobs, build stronger supply chains, and contribute to our climate goals.”
