Industrial fibre crops
The European Commission, DG XII, has published the results of a study on the increased application of domestically-produced plant fibres in the non-food industry. The study, entitled "Industrial fibre crops", was funded under the Community's specific RTD programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (FAIR). The aim of the study was to explore the potential of non-wood fibre plants, which can be grown within European Union countries, for applications in the non-food sector, including: pulp and paper production, textiles, fibre-reinforced composites, construction and building materials, geo-textiles, non-wovens, insulation materials and asbestos-replacing materials. It also identifies the main players in the field, as well as gaps in current knowledge and RTD needs, technological and economic bottlenecks and potential markets. The study forms part of a series of studies launched by the FAIR programme on important issues pertaining to food and non-food research. These studies are designed to present the current state-of-the-art and make recommendations for future research which could remove obstacles to introducing new technologies and products from the agro-industrial sector into the market place.