bioplastics MAGAZINE Issue 02/2012

With 110 participants from 15 countries, the ‘5th International Congress 2012 on Bio-based Plastics and Composites & Industrial Biotechnology’ (14-15 March, Cologne, Germany) focused on Scandinavia, Italy and Germany.

Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Toray Industries, Inc. (both Tokyo, Japan) have entered into an agreement to begin joint research for manufacturing the nylon raw material 1,5-pentanediamine (1,5-PD) from the amino acid lysine produced from plant materials by Ajinomoto using fermentation technology, and commercializing a biobased nylon made from this substance.

How to use radiocarbon dating to determine the biobased carbon content

LANXESS (Leverkusen, Germany) is strengthening its commitment to renewable raw materials.

Flame retardant PLA for interior use

Molex Incorporated, Lisle, Illinois, USA, announced the Stac64™-e connector for automotive applications has received third party Environmental Claims Validation (ECV).

Api Spa (Mussolente, Italy) has over half a century of success in the production of TPE (thermo plastic elastomers) and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). For the last 5 years they have used this experience to embark on an important project studying and developing bioplastics.

New, bright green and gold pearlescents open new opportunities

Today many biobased and/or biodegradable/compostable plastics are required to be coloured. In order to fulfil, for instance, the compostability standards (such as EN 13432 or ASTM D6400), some specific technical know-how is essential with regard to pigment composition and the quantity required for a specific task.

Danone GmbH (Munich, Germany) and RE|PLA Cycle GmbH (Cologne, Germany) have agreed to cooperate in the area of resource recycling.

Finally it’s there. Our new book. From now on we offer our new basics book:

Closed-cycle waste management for PLA from all stages of the value chain: this is the aim of RE|PLA Cycle GmbH (Cologne, Germany), a new subsidiary in the Reclay Group.

Huhtamaki’s PLA beer cup assortment emerges as a clear winner in stadiums and arenas

Miss Muffet & Co (London, UK) decided to use Innovia Films’ compostable cellulose-based material, NatureFlex™ to wrap its range of fairytale and nursery rhyme inspired premium confectionery.

The GRAFE-Group (Blankenhain,Germany) is an innovative partner to the plastics processing industry. A joint venture between SENSIENT Imaging Technologies GmbH and specialist masterbatch manufacturer Grafe has managed to combine food colouring and bio-based plastics.

The Hochschule Hannover – University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Hannover, Germany) is one of the first universities of applied sciences in Germany to have a Fraunhofer Application Center starting in 2012.

Shanghai Fukun New Material Science & Technology Co. Ltd., presents AddiFlex oxo-biodegradable plastic additive as a viable, practical and easy to use solution for the present plastic littering situation in China.

FUKUTOMI CO. LTD., has developed a wide range of eco-friendly PLA products. These include PLA cutlery and food packaging which greatly reduce landfill waste.

The Roquette Group, one of the world leaders in the processing of raw vegetable materials, is now becoming a major plant-based plastics player.

Versatile bioplastic product enabling increased use of Anaerobic Digestion

The intention of the new (2011) Handbook of Bioplastics and Biocomposites Engineering Applications, written by 40 scientists from industry and academia, is to explore the extensive applications made with bioplastics & biocomposites for the packaging, automotive, biomedical, and construction industries.

Handy Candy LLC (Birmingham Alabama, USA) has developed a versatile and frankly fun new fresh food package made from plant based Ingeo™ (PLA) biopolymer.

Edgetek AMX is a high performance polyamide compound by PolyOne, using PA10T as the base resin, which offers high heat resistance, high flowability, high weld line strength and ultra low moisture uptake.

In 2012 Zhejiang Hisun Biomaterials Co. Ltd., heat-resistant PLA resin received more and more attention from manufacturers of branded cutlery.

Kingfa Sci. & Tech. Co. Ltd., the largest modified plastics manufacturer in China, owns five manufacturing facilities in that country (Guangzhou, Shanghai, Mianyang, Tianjin and Zhuhai) with an annual production capacity over 1,000,000 tonnes of modified plastics.

Improving Processing and Properties

Bio-based plastics convince with high climate protection potential and low use of fossil resources

Metabolix (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA) plans to launch its business in PHA biopolymers under a new commercial model.

NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow.

NatureWorks and BioAmber (both Minnesota, USA) have announced the creation of AmberWorks, a joint venture to bring new performance bio-based polymer compositions to market.

Laurel BioComposite LLC (Laurel, Nebraska, USA) has purchased an ENTEK E-Max 53mm twin screw extruder as the next step in its multi-tiered strategy to provide injection molders with its new patent-pending Bio-Res™.

With the addition of Ecovio® F Mulch, BASF (headquar-tered in Ludwigshafen,Germany) is expanding its line of biodegradable plastic compounds in the form of a grade for use in the manufacture of agricultural films.

Additive solutions to expand the applications of bio-based polyesters

On February 21, 2012 the White House released a memorandum signed by US President Barack Obama detailing part of the Administration’s plan to increase the use of biobased products including such made from biobased plastics.

Under the brand-name BioWare Huhtamaki offers a sustainable material concept, where all products are biodegradable, compostable and preferably bio-based, i.e. derived from renewable resources. Since 2004 Huhtamaki Films has been developing innovative PLA films for thermoforming purposes showing outstanding performance during processing and application. In general, the films have coextruded structures consisting of up to nine layers and are available in thicknesses between 180 and 800 µm.

reSound™ Biopolymer Compounds: Bio-based Compounds for Durable Applications.

The third biennial Innovation Takes Root Ingeo™ user’s forum (Feb. 20-22) in Orlando, Florida welcomed 314 attendees representing 171 companies from the USA and almost 50% from 20 different Asian, South American, and European countries. 27 exhibiting companies rounded the event off. Some of the many highlights are reported about below.

Rhein Chemie’s innovative product line BioAdimide™ has been specifically formulated for bioplastics and is poised to widen the applications of bio-based plastic.

Martin Fuchs Spielwaren, is a German toy manufacturer from Zirndorf since almost a centrury. After starting with plastic toys in the 1960s the company launched its ‘Spielstabil’ (rigid toys) line of products and is consequently relying on ‘Made in Germany’.

Shenzhen Ecomann Biotechnology Co. LTD., is a high-tech enterprise that is engaged in R&D, manufacturing, and sales of PHA and PHA based bio-resins with a current annual capacity of 5,000 tonnes and new capacity of 75,000 tonnes in 2 years.

Founded in 2002, Shenzhen Esun Industrial Co.,Ltd not only inventively synthesize PLA in China, but also consider PLA modification as its overriding goal and obtain satisfactory achievement in PLA alloy.

The 26th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries, CHINAPLAS 2012, which is dedicated to showcasing the world-class cutting-edge plastics and rubber technologies, will be held at Shanghai New International Expo Centre on April 18-21, 2012. This year again, there will be a special themed zone dedicated to bioplastics but which will be 40% bigger than last year.

Innovia Films’ renewable, compostable cellulose-based material, NatureFlex™, won Ganong Bros Limited’s (New Brunswick, Canada) approval, to pack its range of Easter confectionery in stand up pouches.

Before the first bioplastics entered the market in significant quantities and qualities a few years ago, the industry no longer relied on the development of new plastic types over decades, but only on the production of polymer blends with the objective of maintaining the respective advantages and of eliminating the disadvantages.

Tianjin Greenbio Material Co., Ltd. produce Sogreen™ PHA products through fermentation from non-GMO natural sugars and starch and can supply a wide range of products –

Toray Industries, Inc./Toray Plastics (China) Co. Ltd., are becoming ‘a leading global company of advanced materials’ by pursuing technological innovation based on chemistry under the corporate slogan ‘Innovation by Chemistry’.

Wells Plastics Limited is the developer, owner and manufacturer of the Reverte oxo-biodegradable technology and trademarks.

WinGram Industrial, a Hong Kong based company specialized in cellulose acetate (CA) material, started with traditional CA 15 years ago.

Wuhan Huali Environment Technology Co. LTD., will present ‘ECO-KEEP’ products at the 2012 Chinaplas Exhibition.

Zhejiang Hangzhou Xinfu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is, among other things, a global leading manufacturer of vitamin B5. In addition XINFU specializes in the field of biochemicals, fine chemicals and Eco-Materials.