Article - 15/03/2016 Chicory root and its potential in bioplastics production Researchers from the University of Hohenheim use waste in the form of chicory roots to extract basic chemical building blocks for producing nylon and plastics. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is one of 12 platform chemicals used to produce plastics. The raw material obtained from the chicory root improves the plastics’ environmental performance, notably because it is an oil substitute and does not compete in any way with food production. https://www.biooekonomie-bw.de/en/articles/news/chicory-root-and-its-potential-in-bioplastics-production