The water sector is facing unprecedented pressure from population growth, climate change, rising costs and tightening regulation, driving a need for transformative approaches to wastewater and sludge treatment. The Biopolymers in the Circular Economy (BICE) project responds by demonstrating how resource recovery can unlock value from sludge while supporting a transition to circular, low carbon systems. Led by United Utilities, this £6.8 million Ofwat-funded project has trialled two innovative technologies. In a global first, Haskoning’s Kaumera process extracted biopolymer gum from a range of secondary sludge types, successfully operating beyond its original application with Nereda sludge and expanding applicability across conventional treatment systems. This offers a novel route to reduce sludge volumes, lower handling and disposal costs, and create valuable products for applications in water, agriculture and more. In parallel, Cellvation’s CellForce® technology recovered a consistent cellulose product from wastewater and converted it into glucose, reducing downstream load and supporting more efficient sludge management. Beyond technical validation, BICE addresses key barriers to adoption by advancing End of Waste strategies, strengthening regulatory understanding and aligning products with market demand. This presentation will share operational and process data such as biopolymer quality, yield and functionality, alongside regulatory insights to support scalable deployment.