Driving down the cost of waste derived sugar

This project will build on UK expertise in recycling of household waste to recover a clean cellulose. A new process has been developed to efficiently break this cellulose down into sugar which can be used to produce, for example bioethanol - the green fuel component of petrol, as well as other high value chemicals such as those used in construction materials and intermediates in chemical processes. The sugar from waste will substitute for the sugar currently used which is produced from crops including sugar beet which requires land, pesticides and fuel to grow and harvest. The benefits are environmental, less waste to landfill, economic, the waste derived sugar is sustainable and cost competitive and social as land can be used for food grade sugar production instead of for the sugar required for fuel and other industrial purposes.