- Aston University has secured £6 million in grant funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to lead CIRCARB
- The four-year programme project focuses on cutting industrial emissions by replacing fossil-derived carbon across the chemicals, construction materials and plastics sectors
- Led by Aston University, CIRCARB includes Loughborough University and the University of Edinburgh alongside more than 26 partners.
Fossil carbon is not only burned to power industry but is also built into the chemicals, plastics and construction materials used every day. Cutting emissions in these sectors therefore requires more than switching to cleaner energy sources.
CIRCARB (Circular and Biogenic Carbon Pathways for a Sustainable Future) is a four-year programme funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Led by Aston University, it will develop and assess practical ways to replace fossil-derived carbon with circular carbon from waste and plants, as well as carbon from captured CO₂.
Most net-zero plans focus on decarbonising energy: electrifying transport and heating, improving efficiency and expanding renewable generation. But for many manufacturers, the harder challenge is the carbon that becomes part of the product itself.
Because fossil carbon is used as a feedstock, not just a fuel, these embedded emissions cannot be eliminated through electrification or hydrogen alone. CIRCARB will seek to identify routes that reduce emissions while meeting performance, cost and scale requirements.
The programme will focus on three sectors that are economically important, emissions intensive and difficult to decarbonise because of their reliance on fossil-derived carbon: chemicals, construction materials and plastics.
Chemicals: The UK chemicals industry is worth around £30 billion and exports more than £54 billion, yet it currently sources about 90% of its carbon from fossil feedstocks. CIRCARB researchers will develop catalytic routes that convert biomass-derived bio-oils and captured CO₂ into chemicals such as methanol, aiming to reduce hydrogen use and improve overall carbon efficiency.
Construction materials: Construction contributes around 6% of UK GDP, with cement production alone responsible for an estimated 7.3 million tonnes of CO₂ each year. CIRCARB will explore routes to make carbon-negative aggregates from heated farm waste, creating materials that can store CO₂.
Plastics: The plastics sector generates more than £32 billion in annual turnover, but is associated with an estimated 26 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent lifecycle emissions. CIRCARB will use microbes to convert waste such as potato peel and used cooking oil into biodegradable bioplastics for packaging.
Together, these three sectors support nearly three million jobs and contribute more than £90 billion in economic value.
CIRCARB will run from September 2026 and aims to support the UK’s transition to a more sustainable, circular industrial economy.
Dr Muhammad Imran, the CIRCARB project lead and a reader in energy systems at Aston University, said:
“Achieving net zero is not just about the energy we use but is about the materials we make. Fossil carbon is embedded in the structure of the plastics, chemicals, and construction materials on which modern life depends, and those emissions cannot be resolved through electrification alone.
“CIRCARB brings together world-class academic expertise, a genuinely committed industry coalition, and a rigorous systems approach to tackle this challenge at the scale it deserves.”
- Notes to editors
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CIRCARB is funded by EPSRC (part of UK Research and Innovation).
Industry and policy partners include Croda International, Holcim UK, Futamura, Kier Group, Mondelēz International, Notpla, WRAP, the British Plastics Federation, Make UK, the Society of Chemical Industry, the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre, the Carbon Trust and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, among others.
About Aston University
For over 130 years, Aston University has been making our world a better place through education, research and innovation. Our history is intertwined with the remarkable city of Birmingham, once the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and now the thriving base for an innovation ecosystem of global significance, which Aston is co-creating.
Our vision is to be a leading university for science, technology and enterprise, measured by the positive transformational impact we achieve for our people, students, businesses and the communities we serve.
Aston focuses on high-quality, exploitable research that has an impact on society through medical breakthroughs, advancements in engineering, policy and practice in government, and the strategies and performance of business.
The university offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, as well as continuing professional development solutions.
Thanks to its focus on delivering excellent outcomes for students, Aston University's reputation continues to grow. It was recognised as the Daily Mail University of the Year for Student Success 2025, is second in England for social mobility (2023 HEPI Social Mobility Index), and is top 20 for graduate salaries (2024 Longitudinal Education Outcomes).
Aston University is now defining its place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world.
For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Richard Woodall, PR and Communications Manager, on email: r.woodall@aston.ac.uk